“Cry for me.” His grip on her shoulders was rougher than usual, fingers digging in deep enough to leave marks.
Athena Newton was spread out on the messy bed, letting out a broken sob.
Same position as always, five years of this routine. He never let her move, always had to look at her face like he was searching for someone stuck in his head.
“Freya…” he growled in her ear, voice all raspy with want.
Athena’s heart stopped for a second.
She turned her head and caught sight of their only photo together on the nightstand. Her face in it looked just like Freya Bates’.
He told her that once, she looked most like Freya when she cried, with flushed cheeks.
So that’s all I am? Just some replacement he could swap out at any time?
Then why did he send me that diamond ring yesterday?
That sparkle almost had her fooled. Almost made her think she had finally gotten into his heart as herself, not as Freya.
What a joke.
She pushed against his chest, trying to get him off.
But Byron didn’t move an inch.
“Mr. Crawford…” Athena kept it proper like always, but the intimacy and warmth were all gone. “Let’s stop here. I’m tired.”
“Tired?” Byron stopped cold, thrown off by her tone.
Leaning down, he whispered against her ear with irritation, “Athena, you getting too big for your shoes? You have no right to complain about what’s between us.”
Between us?
His cold tone hit her like a slap. She was stuck there while he kept biting at her neck, thrusting into her like everything was normal.
They were doing what lovers do, but they weren’t even close to being lovers.
Even after five years, Athena still caught herself dreaming that someday she’d be his real girlfriend.
But facts were facts. She was just his mistress, and that’s all she was ever gonna be.
Five years ago, debt collectors were on her case. Her grandma was dying, and Athena needed money badly.
She was desperate when someone brought her to Byron and laid it out—she was gonna be a copy, a shadow, a doll to fill some hole.
“You do look like Freya. A lot,” Byron had said, checking her out like some product. “Those eyes especially.”
Freya Bates was his everything. But she left to marry some big shot in Gaston while he was in a coma after an accident.
Byron must’ve been crazy in love. Even being abandoned didn’t fix him.
He just went looking for a knockoff to make it hurt less.
And Athena became that knockoff.
That night, Byron cleared her debts and hooked her grandma up with the best medical care.
The deal? Athena played his secretary in the streets, bedroom partner in the sheets.
Real talk—she was just a mistress. What right did a sugar baby have to say no?
Athena shut her eyes and let go, feeling the pain spread from her body to her soul.
Byron finally backed off after what felt like forever.
“Check’s on the table. Twenty million dollars,” he dropped casually. “Plus that ring from yesterday and the villa by Lakin. All yours now.”
Athena was taken aback, and then it hit her. She looked up and asked, “Is this a breakup fee?”
Byron always splashed cash, but never this hard.
Twenty million dollars and a diamond ring would’ve been plenty. But that Lakin villa? That place was worth nine figures easy.
She’d seen this before—Byron’s exit strategy. Fat check, clean split, bye bye.
A sharp pang twisted in her chest. But strangely… she felt some relief.
“Call it a bonus,” Byron said, voice rough.
Athena caught that cold disdain in his eyes.
Then he grabbed her chin, thumb running over her busted lip, voice smooth but cruel, “Keep playing nice, and there’s more where that came from.”
Keep playing nice?
How many times had she let herself get caught up in this same game, just to wake up to the same old mess? Honestly, she was just tired of it all.
Just then, her phone buzzed on the floor.
Athena finally snapped back to reality. Byron was gone, in the shower now.
She struggled to sit up, body aching, and reached for her phone.
It was a financial news alert.
[Breaking: Imbe Group’s CEO to marry the Ross heiress. Two old-money empires joining forces; market’s about to go wild.]
Her grip went deathly white on the phone.
Imbe Group’s CEO? That’s Byron.
Everything made sense now.
Those crazy expensive gifts? Hush money. Byron wanted to keep her on the side while playing happy husband.
Athena’s chest tightened, the air thick like drowning.
She couldn’t do this anymore.
Maybe, it’s time to end everything…
I’m done being someone’s backup plan.
Before long, a pill box dropped in front of her face.
Byron stepped out of the bathroom in a bathrobe, still dripping wet.
“Take the pill,” he said, leaving no room for argument.
Athena eyeballed the box. He never cared about this sort of thing. But now…
Was it because of the engagement?
Thinking of this, Athena couldn’t help but sneer. “What’s wrong, Mr. Crawford? Scared I’ll get pregnant right before your wedding?”
“You know?” Byron’s surprise flickered, then died. “This marriage matters to the company. I can’t risk any drama.”
Drama?
So that’s what he calls our baby…
She’d actually loved this guy. How unbelievable. And he’d only ever seen her as a problem to manage.
But Athena knew she deserved better.
“Well, don’t sweat it, Mr. Crawford. I’ll pack my stuff and disappear. Won’t mess up your perfect life anymore,” she said, voice like winter.
Byron’s face twisted at her new backbone. “What’s with this? Money not enough or something?
“Just name your price, then,” he sneered. “That’s how it works with girls like you, right? Wave enough cash and you’ll do whatever.”
Athena’s face went pale. Something cracked in her chest.
Right. She’d sold herself from day one. To him, she was just merchandise. Pay enough, and he would get whatever he wanted.
Athena fell silent for a while.
She looked up, finally seeing him for what he was.
Her gaze turned icy, as if he were just a piece of garbage.
“Sorry, Mr. Crawford,” she said softly. “I’m not for sale anymore.”
Fighting the ache, she dressed up quickly, then pulled open her vanity drawer.
Inside was a stack of resignation letters, and she grabbed one from the pile.
She’d written them on endless nights when disappointment kept her awake.
Now, it was finally time to hand one over.
She walked up to Byron and held it out, her voice firm. “Mr. Crawford, I quit. I’ll wrap up my projects and be gone.”
Byron snatched the letter and tore it to pieces, his face going dark. “What do you mean?”
“We had a deal when I got with you,” Athena replied calmly. “No the other woman status. You get married, I leave.”
Byron stared her down.
His eyes flashed with something like fear and confusion, but he didn’t even catch it himself.
Yeah, he remembered that deal.
But he never thought she’d actually leave just because he put a ring on someone else.
She’d always played by his rules. No matter how messed up or brutal, she’d never said no.
Now she’s growing a backbone? The nerve!
“Athena, haven’t I taken good care of you? What’s your game here?” He stepped forward, pressing close to her, his presence suffocating.
All the color drained from Athena’s face.
Her gut screamed to back away. But Byron locked his arm around her waist, trapping her right there.
“Mr. Crawford, you’re getting hitched. I’m out. That’s what we agreed to from the beginning,” Athena sighed.
Byron laughed, ugly and mean. “So what? You’re saying twenty million dollars and that villa aren’t enough?”
Athena froze.
Her mind drifted back to earlier. He’d said, “Wave enough cash, and you’ll do whatever.”
Her stomach turned.
She dug her nails into her palm, trying to keep it together, fighting to break free from this guy who kept treating her like dirt.
“Byron, get off me!” she yelled.
“I’m running out of patience, Athena. Cut the crap. Just tell me, what’s your price?” Byron growled, holding her tighter.
Athena stopped dead.
Even now, he thought this was about money…
All the strength drained out of her body. She was just… tired.
Feeling her go limp in his arms, Byron cooled off.
His voice went honey-sweet, lips brushing her earlobe. “Come on, don’t be like that. How much do you want, forty million? Eighty? Just say the number.”
Classic her—acting all tough at first.
But what went down? Flash some cash and boom, she’s in my sheets, letting me have my way.
Money’s all that matters. I just gotta up the price. No way she’s really trying to walk away from me!
His lips curled into that same shark smile he used in business deals.
But Athena didn’t give him what he wanted. Her brows drew together, and her gaze turned even icier.
“Byron,” she whispered, “I told you, I’m not for sale anymore.” Her voice was quiet but dead tired, like every word cost her.
Byron’s smile dropped, and his eyes turned sharp. “Enough of this. Just give me a number. Stop being so extra.”
He finally let go of her, looking down at her like trash.
Byron was heated now. And Athena felt every bit of it.
But she was done caring. Done watching his moods and playing nice.
“You wanna talk price?” she let out a cold laugh. “Cool. Then bring my mom back.
“A side piece pushed my mom to her death. So, I’m never gonna be one.”
The room went dead quiet. Nothing but their breathing was left.
Even if Byron couldn’t read her mind, he knew damn well Athena was about to walk away for good.
His fist balled up, and his temper snapped.
He yanked Athena by the wrist. His fingers squeezed so tight they could’ve crushed her bones.
“You were just Freya’s stand-in. I’ve been using you for five years and have gotten comfortable. You really thought I couldn’t live without you?”
Yeah, just comfortable.
Other replacements existed, but Byron was too lazy to break in someone new.
“I know what I am, Mr. Crawford. I wouldn’t dare,” Athena shot back, her tone hard and cold.
“Good!”
Byron nodded, threw her wrist away.
“You weren’t the best Freya look-alike, but you’ve always been the most obedient. That was your only strength.” Looking down at her, his rage cooling to that usual whatever. “Now, you’ve lost that too. Since you’ve made up your mind, have it your way.”
“Thanks, Mr. Crawford,” Athena said, trying to keep it cool even though she was messed up inside. “Don’t worry. I’m gonna finish everything right. Won’t cause you any problems.”
“You don’t need to hand stuff over. I’ve got a new secretary coming in. Just make sure she’s trained before you leave.”
Then Byron just walked out, didn’t even look back, cold as ever.
Athena watched him for just a second before looking away.
He was born with a silver spoon, ego through the roof.
That little hesitation earlier? Not love. She’d just played Freya’s shadow too well, stayed sweet too long.
Now she wasn’t playing by his rules, and he had no patience left. He wouldn’t bother with her again.
Athena checked her red wrist.
It was time to wake up from the dream.
Guys like Byron? Never meant for girls like her.
She wiped her tears, opened her laptop, typed up her resignation email, and sent it to HR.
The next morning, the Imbe Group executive floor was in total chaos.
Everyone knew Byron was a nightmare to work with, and Athena was the only one who could handle his mess.
But Athena? MIA.
Byron’s face went dark, eyes fixed coldly on Liam, his assistant. His voice could’ve frozen the air. “Where’s Athena?”
“Ms. Newton… has submitted her resignation,” Liam squeaked out, like someone had a gun to his back. He was stiff as a board.
BANG! Byron smashed his coffee cup down.
Liam flinched hard. He caught Byron’s face looking dark as hell from the side. Like he was about to turn that cup into powder.
“Call Athena. I don’t care if she quits. She needs to wrap up her work right.” Byron yanked his tie loose, teeth grinding.
Warning bells went off in Liam’s head. He immediately pulled out his phone.
Byron glanced over, looking even more pissed.
When the call hit, Athena was at the hospital.
She’d been throwing up like crazy since she woke up. And her whole body was weak, everything spinning. She had to call 911 and get herself to the ER in the end.
She looked at the doctor, worry written all over her face. “Doctor, what’s wrong with me?”
“Congratulations. You’re eight weeks pregnant,” the doctor said.
Athena just stared at her flat stomach, brain frozen.
Pregnant?
Right when she finally grew a spine to leave Byron, and she was pregnant?
Athena was lost. If it had been yesterday, she would’ve immediately run to tell him.
Now? She knew better. Even with his kid, she’d never be his wife.
*****
When Athena got back to the office, it was already 2 PM.
She had no clue that in just one morning, the entire executive department had been in meltdown.
“Ms. Newton, why are you quitting? What are we supposed to do without you?!”
“Exactly! Mr. Crawford’s been scary as hell today. I was afraid to even breathe too loud!”
“Please, Ms. Newton, don’t go! Without you keeping Mr. Crawford chill, we’re all toast!”
The second her coworkers spotted her, they came running, acting like the world was ending, hanging onto her like she was their last hope.
Athena gave a small smile. “Relax, I’m not leaving tomorrow. Takes like a month to complete the process.”
She tried to calm them down, but they still looked like they were heading to their own funeral.
Everyone knew Byron was impossible to handle. Without their human shield, they could see the nightmare coming.
Just then, the CEO’s private elevator dinged.
In an instant, everyone straightened up and lined up perfectly.
A moment later, those elevator doors opened.
Byron walked out in a clean black suit, with a mystery woman right behind him.
“Mr. Crawford,” everybody said together, including Athena, standing in the back with her eyes glued to the floor.
Byron frowned.
Athena had never slacked off like this.
For five whole years, she’d always been the first to meet him, taking his jacket and stuff, staying one step behind him like clockwork.
Now? Nobody was treating him that way. And Athena was keeping her distance.
“Athena,” he said her name through his teeth, feeling some weird anger coming up.
Athena looked up, staring right back at his cold eyes.
“This is Ruby Holland, my new secretary,” Byron said, voice flat. “Train her properly.”
Athena checked out Ruby.
She looked just like Freya, way more than Athena ever did.
“Got it, Mr. Crawford,” Athena said with a nod.
“Nice to meet you, Athena! I’ll work super hard to learn everything!” Ruby chirped sweetly.
“That’s great,” Athena said back, all professional.
Byron couldn’t spot even a tiny bit of jealousy or attitude on her face.
Only a woman who doesn’t care about you never gets jealous…
That sentence hit him out of nowhere, making him even more mad.
“Coffee,” he snapped, then stormed into his office.
A moment later, in the break room.
“Ms. Holland, Mr. Crawford’s quite picky about his coffee, so…”
“Athena, you need to stop showing your face around Byron,” Ruby cut in, arms crossed, acting all high and mighty.
“He gets all worked up when he sees you. He’s my man now. When he’s upset, it hurts me too.”
She was already acting like she owned Byron or something.
“If you want me gone that bad, Ms. Holland,” Athena kept her cool while grinding coffee beans, “maybe talk less and learn faster.”
Ruby was trying to get under her skin, hoping Athena would snap and go off. Then Byron would hate her and throw her out.
But Athena didn’t even flinch. Acting like Byron didn’t matter at all.
How’s that possible? Byron is every girl’s dream guy. Everyone wants a piece of that. No way Athena doesn’t care!
Unless…She didn’t even see me as competition!
Ruby’s teeth clenched.
The truth was, she’d been sent to Byron months ago.
But somehow, Athena had him on lock. Even though Ruby looked more like Freya, Byron kept blowing her off for Athena.
To this day, Byron hadn’t even touched her hand.
He just looked at her face sometimes with dead eyes, and treated her straight up cold.
Ruby shot Athena a death glare.
“You’re just Byron’s leftovers. What’s there to be cocky about?” Her face was full of scorn, and her words were humiliating.
Athena sighed, looking through her like glass. “Don’t treat me like a threat, Ms. Holland. I’m not after Byron like you think.
“This is just work for me. Once I hand everything over, I’m out. I’ve got two notebooks about this position. I’ll give them to you later.”
Those notebooks had everything—what Byron likes, what he eats, his health stuff, even how to play Freya.
Not a single detail was missed.
She’d played the role of stand-in mistress like a pro.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ruby eyed her with suspicion.
She didn’t buy it so easily. She would never believe Athena could be that generous.
“What else would it mean?” Athena smiled gently. “It’s just part of the handover.”
To Ruby, that smile looked straight poisonous.
She’s definitely plotting something.
Ruby stuck her nose up. “It’s just some secretary job. I don’t need your handover to crush it.”
Just a secretary?
Athena had to laugh.
Did she really think being Byron’s chief secretary was just playing coffee girl?
This job is way deeper than that.
As the chief secretary, she needed to deal with the VPs and take their reports. Also, she had to learn about every detail to make sure she was in control of all projects. Byron could hit her with questions about any of it.
She had spent five years leveling up from bottom assistant to where she was now. Way more than just some regular secretary work.
“Well, since you’re such a pro, I’ll skip the training.” Athena pushed the fresh coffee across with a smile. “Get this to Mr. Crawford.”
With that, she walked out.
Ruby watched her leave, getting weird vibes for some reason.
A sudden sense of unease crept in, like trouble was coming…
Back in her office, Athena opened the system and put in for leave. Then, she approved it with one click.
All the CEO office’s time off had to go through her, even her own.
But she wasn’t trying to tell Byron about it. She wanted to dodge him as much as possible, keep her head straight.
After putting in the request, Athena grabbed her bag and stepped out. She turned to her colleagues and said calmly, “Everyone, I’m taking three days off.”
“Three? Three whole days?!” Several people stood up in panic.
“Chill,” Athena smiled. “I’ll be on my phone. If you need anything, just hit me up.” She added, “And I’ll still be back to complete the rest of the handover.”
Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief and tell her to get some rest. Some even tried to get her to stay for good.
Athena just smiled, kept quiet. But deep down, she knew better than anyone—there was nothing worth staying for.
The second she got back to the villa, she started throwing her stuff in boxes.
Five years of memories in this place. Her touch was everywhere, and now she had to erase it all.
She packed like a robot, not even checking the time. When the last suitcase finally snapped shut, she called some movers to ship everything out.
After that, she booked a one-way ticket to Greeli City for that night, grabbed one small suitcase with the basics, and walked out of the place she called home for five whole years.
And she didn’t look back once.
*****
Byron only found out Athena had left after grinding through meetings all day.
“I just asked her what kind of coffee beans you like,” Ruby was in his office crying, holding up her red hand. “And she just threw hot water on me.”
Byron barely looked at her, face blank. “Then go to the hospital and get it treated.”
He didn’t believe a word of it. With Athena’s personality, even if she were mad, she wouldn’t pull something that messy.
But leaving work early… That was a first.
Maybe she was… jealous?
Byron’s lips curved up a little.
Ruby, seeing him smiling instead of being angry, felt a chill inside.
She pouted and whined in a sweet voice, “Byron, she was mean to me. Aren’t you gonna stick up for me?”
Byron finally looked up at her, eyes going cold. “Deal with it yourself.”
Ruby paused for a while, then dropped her head all sad. “Fine.”
After she left, Byron grabbed his phone and called Athena.
He was ready to come at her about leaving without saying anything.
The phone rang through his big office, sounding extremely loud.
He loosened his tie and leaned back, already thinking about how Athena would sound all stubborn but hurt, then give in like always.
But she went too far this time. He wasn’t letting it slide.
He smiled and tapped his desk, waiting.
“Sorry, the number you dialed is not available…”
Byron’s face went dark. He hung up and tried again, but the result was the same.
Then it clicked—Athena had blocked him.
“Huh.” Byron let out a cold laugh and threw his phone down.
Athena had never ignored his calls. Not in the middle of the night, not even when she was sick.
She was deliberately making a fuss this time.
Anger surged through his chest. He took a deep breath and called Liam right away.
As soon as Liam picked up, he snapped, “Where’s Athena?”
Liam went quiet for a second. Then, he started typing fast to track her down.
Moments later, he came back respectfully, “Mr. Crawford, cameras show her leaving the villa with a suitcase, catching a cab to the airport.”
Byron’s voice went sharp as a knife. “And?”
“She got a ticket to Greeli City… And she’s gone already.”
🌟 Continue the story here
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“There’s a banquet at the Hilton Hotel. Go there now.”
The man’s voice was cold and indifferent.
Anastasia Graves was overjoyed when she received a call from her husband, Christian Patterson.
“I am at the hospital…”
Christian hung up before Anastasia could tell him that she had come to the hospital to take a pregnancy examination.
Christian had been on a business trip for more than two months, and this was the first time he had called her on his own initiative.
Although his attitude was as cold as ever, his call was enough to make Anastasia happy.
He should have remembered that it was their third wedding anniversary today. He must have let her go there to surprise her.
At the thought, Anastasia’s haggard face turned a little rosy. Delighted, she left the hospital with the examination report.
She also had good news to tell Christian.
They were blessed with two happy events today.
As soon as Anastasia got out of the car, she was surrounded by countless reporters.
They flocked to her, blocking her way.
Anastasia could not conceal her pleasure. It must have been Christian who broke the news of their anniversary, so the reporters waited in particular to send them their best wishes.
With that in mind, she happily waved to the reporter.
“Mrs. Patterson, you and Mr. Patterson have been married for three years, and Mr. Patterson’s illegitimate child is two years old. Do you know it?”
“Mrs. Patterson, what do you think of the illegitimate child? Will you agree to take him back and raise him?”
“Are you and Mr. Patterson in a marriage of convenience, where you both pursue your own interests?”
“Is the child yours and Mr. Patterson’s? Or is him Mr. Patterson’s illegitimate child?”
There had been rumors about Christian’s illegitimate child recently, but Anastasia didn’t believe it.
“Christian is very busy. We don’t have children yet, and he doesn’t have any illegitimate children. It’s all rumors. We love each other very much. I believe in my husband.”
After three years of marriage, she had become adept at handling such unexpected situations skillfully and decisively.
At that moment, Christian stood nearby, his presence commanding attention with his tall and muscular frame. His striking features enhanced his overall appearance, giving him an air of coolness. His eyes and eyebrows added a hint of mysterious aloofness.
He exchanged pleasantries with the person opposite him. And when he looked up, he saw Anastasia walking over.
Instantly, his smile faded, and his stern face was as indifferent as usual.
The next second, Anastasia’s smile faltered a little, her expression froze for an instant, and her step was heavy.
She saw a cute little boy in his arms.
The child appeared to be around two years old and bore a striking resemblance to Christian.
Christian looked down at the child with pleasure, noble and gentle.
The woman beside Christian took over the child gently. They behaved like a couple who had been married for many years.
The woman was Beatrice Cohen.
She was back.
The child’s eyebrows and eyes were similar to those of Beatrice and Christian. Anastasia didn’t even believe that the child would have nothing to do with Christian.
Clenching her fists tightly, Anastasia tried hard to calm herself down.
Three years earlier, Beatrice had broken up with Christian after accepting a sum of money from his mother, Lamia Patterson. After that, she had gone abroad.
Christian was heartbroken by his girlfriend’s betrayal. Probably out of revenge on his mother, Christian dated plenty of women from then on.
At that time, Anastasia had long been in love with Christian. She had been kidnapped abroad, and it was Christian who passed by and rescued her. Since then, she believed in love at first sight.
After returning to her home country, Anastasia deliberately went to work at Patterson Group in order to get close to Christian.
But he had forgotten who she was at that time.
Therefore, Anastasia could boost her career to attract his attention.
It only took her half a year to become the chief secretary in his office.
Then suddenly, Christian’s younger sister became seriously ill and needed a bone marrow donation.
During a check-up, it was found that Anastasia’s bone marrow typing was a suitable match.
That was the first time Christian had come to her because of a personal matter.
With a patient demeanor, he asked her what conditions she required to agree to donate bone marrow.
Anastasia was willing to donate her bone marrow, but she did not want to get a sum of money in return.
In the end, she suppressed her nervousness and tentatively said, “I will agree if you marry me.”
Christian paused and responded casually, “Okay.”
He seemed indifferent to whom his wife would be.
On the other hand, Anastasia was very elated, and she considered being his wife her life’s mission.
In the past three years, she had been ridiculed, humiliated, and neglected and had become a topic of gossip.
Everyone took it for granted she would be abandoned.
Yet, Anastasia herself had always believed that she would never regret marrying him.
She believed that she would become a qualified wife. As time passed by, she would prove that his choice was not wrong. She would finally get his attention and make him fall in love with her.
However, now, her confidence and determination seemed to have collapsed.
Standing on the stage, Christian glanced coldly at the surrounding people, and the hall immediately fell silent.
“Thank you all for taking the time to celebrate the birthday of my son, Charlie Patterson. Unfortunately, we are photographed and subjected to baseless speculation today. To avoid any harm to Charlie, I would like to declare officially that he is the son of my wife and me.”
Anastasia listened to his words, her mind buzzing. She raised her head to look at him with a stiff and embarrassed expression. Her face was pale.
The reporters at the gate had not gone far. So, they definitely heard Christian’s words.
Anastasia had firmly denied Christian’s relationship with that child in front of the reporters just now. Unexpectedly, Christian admitted that it was his child in the next second.
Obviously, Christian wanted the public to know that the child was his while he had nothing to do with Anastasia.
She seemed to have been slapped twice in public. The scorching heat enveloped the top of her head, and her cheeks were so hot that they were about to burn.
Anastasia couldn’t believe that her husband would announce such an event on their wedding anniversary.
Perhaps, he forgot it was their wedding anniversary today. He prepared the banquet to announce the child’s identity, and he simply informed her to attend it.
Tears welled up in Anastasia’s eyes, blurring her vision. Everything in front of her exposed the façade she had desperately maintained in her marriage, shattering all her perseverance and self-esteem.
When Anastasia took a deep look at Christian, he was still waiting for her to express her cooperation.
Realizing that he put her in such a situation regardless of her feelings, Anastasia was overwhelmed with embarrassment and humiliation.
His icy, piercing gaze revealed his menacing intentions. A sharp ache weighed on her heart.
Now, he not only embarrassed her but also shifted the blame onto her.
Anastasia found it utterly absurd.
It seemed that there was no way to soften his heart of stone. She had been too naive, and now she had to admit defeat.
It was time to put an end to everything.
She took hold of the microphone and smiled slowly. Her voice came out rough and slow.
“Mr. Patterson, you’ve made a mistake. I have no connection to the child. I too am curious about who the child’s mother is.”
The hall erupted in chaos. Everyone exchanged shocked glances.
Anastasia’s clear eyes locked with Christian’s furious gaze. She sensed his anger and restraint.
His expression turned icy. He lowered his voice and said,
“Anastasia, what are you causing a scene for? Can’t you grasp the seriousness of the situation? Remember your promise.”
She had promised that once he married her, she would be a devoted wife and never bring disgrace to the Patterson family.
Letting out a bitter laugh, she suppressed her disappointment and narrowed her eyes. Her gaze gradually turned cold.
“Am I causing a scene for no reason, or have you gone too far?”
Anastasia’s eyes were filled with disappointment and desolation. As a final attempt not to embarrass him too much in public for his own sake, she lowered her voice.
“Christian, let’s get a divorce!”
After that, Anastasia threw the microphone on the ground, turned around, and left.
There was a dead silence in the venue.
Anastasia and Christian had been married for three years, yet his illegitimate child was two years old.
In other words, in the past three years, Christian didn’t come home these three years because he had to care for another woman and their child, not because he was busy with work.
He said he didn’t like children and didn’t allow Anastasia to bear one.
It turned out that he didn’t want her to be the mother of his child.
Thinking of that, Anastasia found that she was a fool in the past few years. She even tried her best to maintain the façade of a happy marriage.
When she walked out of the banquet hall, Anastasia stopped and looked back.
She saw Beatrice go up to comfort Christian with the child in her arms.
Beatrice said to him gently and slowly, “Christian, why did Anastasia leave? Does she not like Charlie?”
Christian said coldly, “Ignore her.”
Hearing that, Anastasia sneered.
Christian’s indifferent voice seemed to have driven her into an abyss covered with thick snow, torturing her.
To him, she was only a woman who had taken advantage of him to marry him.
Now, she took the initiative to divorce, which was a correct decision, and it was a relief for him.
Anastasia snorted. She looked desperate and decisive with her eyes red.
Turning her head, she strode away from the hotel without hesitation.
Anastasia liked Christian, but it didn’t mean he could trample her again and again.
She would not go down without a fight when her self-esteem was trampled on.
Divorce was not shameful. But it would be shameful that she still tried to help him cover it up when she was aware of his affair and his illegitimate child. It was really ridiculous.
Anastasia had made up her mind that she would fix everything.
***
Anastasia returned to the villa they shared after their wedding.
She had carefully arranged the furnishings to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for Christian when he returned to the villa.
But now, the huge villa felt empty and devoid of life.
Anastasia remembered how Christian had stayed for just one day and left in a hurry last month.
His return today took her by surprise, as it was a rare occurrence.
Over the past three years, he should have been with Beatrice and their child.
The thought made her feel sick.
She went upstairs to pack her belongings when she heard a knock on the door.
“Mrs. Patterson, Brian is here.”
Hearing that, Anastasia paused for a moment before going downstairs.
Beside Brian Vega stood a suitcase, indicating that he had just arrived.
He held a jewelry box and a bouquet of flowers, offering them with a smile.
“Mrs. Patterson, these are gifts that Mr. Patterson prepared for you to celebrate your anniversary.”
Anastasia hesitated for a moment before looking up at him.
It suddenly struck her that Brian had always been the one to deliver the anniversary gifts. Now that Christian was busy celebrating his illegitimate child’s birthday, it was impossible for him to have have prepared these gifts.
Anastasia sneered but didn’t reach out to take them. With disappointment piling up, she had no choice but to accept her own defeat.
“Brian, Christian doesn’t even remember what day it is today. You prepared these gifts, didn’t you?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Brian’s smile faltered for a moment.
Struggling to maintain it, he stuttered, “Mrs. Patterson, it’s, it’s…”
His reaction confirmed her suspicions.
Anastasia felt a weight lifted off her chest as she let out a sigh of relief. She was relieved to have her answer.
She had once been so happy to receive these gifts, but now it all seemed so ridiculous. She had been too blind to see the signs.
Without saying a word, Anastasia turned and went back upstairs.
She took out her phone, contemplating whether to contact her family, but hesitated.
Three years ago, she married Christian against her family’s wishes, and now she believed she deserved what had befallen her.
Tapping the screen, she was greeted by news from the internet.
The headlines were buzzing with scandalous claims.
“Shocking! Anastasia used to be a mistress and had an abortion before marriage, rendering her unable to conceive!”
“Why can’t the Pattersons have children of their own?”
“Christian is so pitiful! He married someone who can’t bear children!”
“Christian and Beatrice are a perfect match!”
“Anastasia’s indiscretions revealed after marrying into a wealthy family!”
The internet was flooded with such headlines.
Anastasia was clearly the victim, yet they were all slandering her.
As she held her phone, Anastasia’s hands trembled Tears welled up and fell onto her hands.
In her heart, she sneered, “Christian, you’re so heartless! Is this your way of punishing me for not cooperating with you? Fine! Thank you for removing any lingering feelings I still had for you!”
With a wry smile, Anastasia wiped away her tears, her eyes turning cold and resolute.
Her belongings were packed, leaving only the things she had brought with her.
She was waiting to cut off all her ties with Christian after completing the necessary procedures tomorrow.
***
At midnight, Anastasia fell into a drowsy sleep, oblivious to the faint sound of a car outside.
Soon enough, heavy footsteps echoed outside the bedroom.
Anastasia’s bedside sank as a cold hand touched her soft skin.
She trembled violently, instantly jolting awake. With great effort, she brushed away his hand and protected her belly.
In the darkness, the atmosphere froze.
When Anastasia caught a whiff of the familiar yet unfamiliar cold scent mixed with a slight hint of alcohol, she knew it was Christian.
His sudden appearance was indeed a surprise.Upon further consideration, she suspected that he had come to settle the score for what had transpired at the daytime banquet.
Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, she distanced herself from him with an air of indifference.
In the next moment, a warm light filled the entire room.
Anastasia was confronted with the towering figure of Christian. His face was icy, and his cold gaze fixated on her.
“Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”
Did he think her reaction earlier was unwarranted drama?
Anastasia lowered her gaze, concealing her sadness, and mustered a faint smile.
She said, “I’m serious about getting a divorce.”
Christian’s eyes remained icy and locked onto her, as if he were holding back his anger.
“You’re insane. You’re afraid the child will affect your status, so you’re purposely seeking my attention by asking for a divorce, right?”
With that, he observed Anastasia’s pale face and shocked expression for a moment, believing he had seen through her ploy.
A moment later, he sneered dismissively, “Let me tell you…”
But before he could finish speaking, Anastasia jumped out of bed, swiftly headed to the closet to grab her coat, and emerged with a packed suitcase.
Christian froze, squinting his eyes. He stared sharply and coldly at her, who was ready to leave at any moment.
Anastasia stood there in her windbreaker, her eyes profound as she looked up at him. Her gaze exuded nothing but coldness. She knew Christian would only view her with the utmost malice.
“Christian, if you don’t show up at the court to finalize the divorce proceedings tomorrow, I’ll expose all the dirty secrets about your family to the media.”
She knew what he detested the most, thus she resorted to this tactic.
As expected, Christian’s expression turned cold instantly, and his gaze remained as sharp and dangerous as ever.
Now, Anastasia had nothing to fear. She was no longer afraid of losing him after accepting the failure of their marriage.
Though her heart was still shrouded in sorrow, she believed that everything would be alright as time went by.
Anastasia couldn’t stay any longer now. Pushing the suitcase, she turned around and left.
Christian glanced down at her and grabbed her wrist. His eyes were gloomy, his voice cold.
“Anastasia, don’t regret it!”
Of course, she would not regret it, so she was resolute in her decision to leave.
With the arrival of early autumn, the night grew pitch-black, accompanied by a subtle chill.
As soon as Anastasia stepped out of the villa, her eyes welled up and her vision blurred, tears silently streaming down her face.
Her suppressed emotions seemed to have found an outlet.
She let out a soft laugh, took out her cellphone, and called her friend, Eleanor Duncan.
“Come pick me up, Eleanor.”
Eleanor paused briefly, then replied calmly and swiftly, “Wait for me. I’ll be there right away.”
Eleanor had been Anastasia’s friend since childhood. She was the one who had voiced the strongest opposition to her marrying Christian back then.However, Anastasia stubbornly ignored her advice and insisted on marrying him. It wasn’t until the failure of her marriage that she realized who truly cared about her.
For the past three years, Anastasia purposely distanced herself from her friends, afraid that they would find out about her struggles and cause trouble. And now, she felt foolish.
In less than ten minutes, Eleanor arrived.
When they saw each other, their eyes were teary.
Eleanor glanced at the suitcase next to Anastasia and suddenly understood something.
She clenched her teeth, filled with anger and distress, saying, “Let’s go back to my apartment first.”
The Duncan family was known for their wealth in Amarilla City. Therefore, Eleanor, the eldest daughter, had the means to be extravagant and arrogant.
Half an hour later, they arrived at a luxurious downtown apartment.
As soon as Eleanor stepped inside the apartment, she couldn’t help but curse, “I wanted to curse him when I read the news earlier today. That heartless jerk! How dare him?! Having the audacity to bring his illegitimate child to you and forcing you to accept him!”
Originally, Anastasia thought she would be heartbroken when hearing Eleanor’s words, but the truth was, she felt nothing. It was as if everything about Christian had become a distant memory.
She shook her head with a bitter smile. “We’re getting a divorce tomorrow.”
Eleanor paused. “That’s great. That’s more like it, girl! I would disrespect you if you still hung on the thought that he would fall for you one day!”
As she spoke, Eleanor walked over to help Anastasia unpack her belongings quickly.
There was a moment of silence.
Eleanor turned her head and embraced Anastasia to offer comfort.
“It’s good that you’ve come back. You’re not allowed to fall for that jerk again in the future. I’m warning you!”
Tears welled up in Anastasia’s eyes.
Blinded by love, she had wasted too much time on Christian.
Then she answered with resolution, “I won’t. I promise.”
Then Anastasia took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions. When telling Eleanor she wouldn’t fall for Christian, she was actually warning herself not to be so stupid again.
It was gloomy and stifling the following day.
Anastasia abandoned her regal style of dressing and her dignified image as Mrs. Patterson. She chose a green off-the-shoulder gown that she hadn’t worn in three years, which accentuated her delicate and radiant skin.
Then Eleanor drove Anastasia straight to the court and waited in the car.
They waited for a long time, but Christian didn’t show up.
Anastasia called him three times in a row, and he rejected her calls.
Looking at the rejected calls, she quickly found the phone number of a reporter who had a good relationship with the Patterson Group. With a calm smile, she got straight to the point as the call was answered.
“I have evidence of Christian’s infidelity. How about I give it to you for free?”
Taken aback, the reporter quickly exchanged a few words before hanging up.
Eleanor gave Anastasia a thumbs up, and Anastasia adjusted her hair.
She casually said to Eleanor, “Wait a little longer. He’ll be here soon. By the way, anything interesting happened lately?”
Eleanor pondered for a moment and smiled, “Last month, the Graves Group unveiled groundbreaking bionic technology that shook the world. It has successfully dominated the international market. People say that the Graves family may seem low-key, but they’re actually quite wealthy!”
As soon as Eleanor finished speaking, Christian called.
Anastasia chuckled softly. As expected, her strategy worked.
She answered the call calmly, hearing his angry voice.
“Anastasia, stop being so full of yourself. Even if you do have evidence, no reporter would dare to publish it.”
Anastasia knew that with the powerful influence of the Patterson Group, those reporters wouldn’t dare to offend him. But she had to use this trick to make sure the divorce would go smooth.
She smiled lightly, her voice indifferent.
“Mr. Patterson, I’ve been waiting for you at the court. Since you didn’t show up, I had to resort to necessary measures.”
Christian fell silent for a moment. A while later, he replied in a cold and harsh voice.
“I don’t have time to play games with you. You better get to work at the company on time, or I’ll fire all the incompetent employees in your team.”
With that, he hung up the phone abruptly.
Anastasia’s face froze. She wondered if he despised her so much that he would take it out on innocent people.
After thinking for some time, Anastasia asked Eleanor to head back to her apartment first. After that, she hailed a taxi and went to the Patterson Group.
The employees in the company were shocked when they saw Anastasia. They hadn’t expected her to return so soon. What shocked them even more was that she looked more radiant than before.
Anastasia went straight to Christian’s office with the divorce papers and resignation letter she had prepared long ago.
She just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible.
When she reached the floor, she didn’t bother knocking on the door, but instead pushed it open and walked in.
To her surprise, Beatrice, looking frail and pitiful, was sitting next to Christian.
The two of them were huddled together. Their heads lowered as they were engrossed in discussing the documents, appearing quite intimate.
Anastasia’s face darkened slightly. She hadn’t expected to see Beatrice there.
But then again, it wasn’t all that surprising since they had a child together.
Clearly, Beatrice’s presence disrupted their harmonious atmosphere.
Disdain flashed in Anastasia’s eyes as she spoke directly, “I had originally planned to finalize the divorce proceedings before resigning. It seems I’ll have to resign first.”
Christian looked up at her, his expression somewhat distant. His shirt was perfectly pressed, and he emitted an icy aura.
“Aren’t you worried that I’ll fire them if you make such a fuss?”
He knew that Anastasia had trained the secretaries herself and cared deeply about them.
In response, Anastasia sneered, “Then I’ll take all of them with me.”
The atmosphere froze for a moment.
Upon hearing this, Beatrice averted her gaze and smiled faintly. She then pulled out a gift box from the drawer, and handed it over.
“Ms. Graves, are you still upset about what happened yesterday? I’m sorry. I heard it was your third wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, Christian has been busy taking care of me and our child, so he forgot about it. This is the gift I picked out for you together with him. I hope you like it.”
Beatrice approached and whispered in Anastasia’s ear.
“By the way, I also have a necklace just like this one!”
She stared at Anastasia, her eyes full of provocation and sarcasm.
Did Christian prepare the gift with Beatrice?
Did he even give her the same necklace as Beatrice’s?
It sounded absurd!
Anastasia couldn’t put her feelings into words. It was as if she had stepped on a pile of poop when she went outside.
She glared at Beatrice coldly.
In the next moment, she raised her hand abruptly and knocked the gift out of Beatrice’s hand, saying, “Save it, Beatrice. I know what kind of person you are.”
Beatrice’s face turned pale, and she looked at Anastasia with a pitiful expression.
She said, “I know you’re angry with me, but Charlie is innocent. Can you please take him in and raise him like your own child?”
Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed.
“Anastasia, what are you doing?” Christian’s voice was indifferent as he stood up with a gloomy expression.
Seeing the gift box on the floor and Beatrice sobbing, he was annoyed. He couldn’t believe that Anastasia actually had the guts to bully Beatrice in front of him.
With tear-filled eyes, Beatrice clung to his arm, whimpering, “Ms. Graves has every right to be angry at me. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t like the gift I chose. I just want to beg her to treat Charlie better. I never intended to ruin your marriage.”
Christian looked at Anastasia, his brows furrowed. And his deep eyes were filled with coldness.
Anastasia watched Beatrice’s performance and couldn’t help but get impressed her acting skills.
Seconds later, she smiled lightly and spoke in a cold tone, “You became a mistress and even had an illegitimate child. Why are you pretending to be innocent? Don’t you think it’s ridiculous?”
Beatrice’s face turned pale. She weakly leaned against Christian’s body, tears streaming down her face.
Christian’s face grew cold, and his eyes filled with angry gloom.
“Anastasia, don’t be harsh. She is not the other woman. You better show her some respect.”
Watching him defending Beatrice as if she were his beloved, unwilling to let her suffer even the slightest grievance, Anastasia felt like a villain who was tearing a couple apart suddenly.
Anastasia’s eyes turned sharp, and she looked at the man in front of her with a sneer.
“You want me to respect her? Does she deserve it?”
Anastasia suppressed the disgust in her heart and glanced at Christian, her eyes filled with indifference.
As Christian observed her face, he felt a strange sensation in his heart.
But he quickly pushed it down.
He heard Beatrice crying pitifully, and it only made him feel sorry for her.
“Anastasia, apologize to Beatrice!”
“Apologize?”
Anastasia paused for a moment, looking at him with a sense of absurdity.
In that moment, Beatrice bit her lower lip, took a cup of coffee from the table, and approached Anastasia.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Graves. I should apologize to you.”
She attempted to hand the cup of coffee to Anastasia.
Just when coffee was about to spill onto Anastasia, she quickly dodged backwards and slapped Beatrice hard across the face even when anger took over her mind.
Clap!
The impact of the slap resonated with the sound of the cup shattering.
Anastasia shook her numb hand, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Shocked, Beatrice kept playing the victim card. When she covered her rapidly reddening and swelling face, tears dripped down her frightened eyes.
Christian, in disbelief, stared at Anastasia. Ignoring the mess on himself, he shielded Beatrice behind him. His gaze turned instantly menacing.
“Anastasia, have you lost your mind?!” He snapped.
Since yesterday, Anastasia had undergone a complete transformation. With a scornful expression, she faced Christian’s angry gaze and threw the resignation letter and divorce agreement that she had prepared a long time ago in his face.
“Christian, shame on you! You manipulated public opinion and bought over so many social media to slander me. You seriously think I will forget that?! Don’t expect me to have any respect for you. You disgust me!”
She smirked coldly, took a step forward, and approached Christian without fear. As she looked into his sharp eyes, Anastasia was unfazed.
Grabbing Christian by the collar, she pulled him towards her with force. While his handsome face was getting closer, her voice remained icy and threatening.
“Mr. Patterson, you know perfectly well how capable I am at my job. If you don’t want to embarrass yourself, sign the agreement and have a peaceful divorce with me. Otherwise, I will sue for divorce and expose all the scandals of the Patterson Group to the public.”
After finishing her speech, Anastasia gave them a cold glance, released her grip in disgust, and walked away. And she felt surprisingly relieved after that.
Christian stared at her retreating figure with deep, furrowed brows. His expression turned cold and complicated.
Earlier, when she grabbed his collar, it felt as if she had also grasped his heart tightly. His heart raced wildly, making him feel somewhat anxious.
He didn’t have any affection for Anastasia, but he was satisfied with her.
After marrying her, Christian’s life had been worry-free because she was obedient and didn’t cause any trouble. Also, she had been even more helpful than he had expected.
And Christian had never seen this side of Anastasia before.
Angry, clear-headed, rational, and indifferent, she seemed like a little beast that had been pretending to be a mellow sheep. And she finally revealed her true nature when being threatened.
An indescribable strange feeling surged within Christian’s heart, and he couldn’t control it. The calm and indifferent gaze she had just shown replayed in his mind.
He felt incredibly restless, dying to know why Anastasia would assume that he slandered her by bribing the media on purpose.
And what he did know was that he realized that he didn’t actually want a divorce.
Beatrice cautiously sobbed, reaching out to hold his arm. She said, “Christian, should I find an opportunity to explain the whole thing to Ms. Graves?”
Christian evaded her touch, pressed his lips together tightly, and gazed at her slightly swollen face.
“No need. Don’t blame her.”
Beatrice’s face turned pale, and she weakly smiled, understandingly. “Of course, I won’t.”
Meanwhile, a trace of wariness flickered in Beatrice’s heart. She wanted to know if Christian still cared about Anastasia.
As soon as Anastasia left, her colleagues surrounded her, expressing their sympathy.
“Anastasia, you’re Mrs. Patterson. You’ve sacrificed so much. Are you really going to step aside for the other woman?”
“That’s right. According to what Brian said, they plan to assign that bitch to the secretary’s office. Are they trying to push you out?”
“Mr. Patterson must be blind. In terms of ability and beauty, that woman is nothing compare to you!”
Anastasia smiled reassuringly. At this point, she had nothing to worry about.
“Don’t worry about me. I would be insane if I didn’t give up on this marriage. DOn’t you think?”
With that, she displayed a nonchalant smile.
“Oh, by the way, Mr. Patterson might take out his anger on you because of me. If you ever want to leave the company, you can come to me anytime.”
After working with them for three years, Anastasia had developed a strong bond with her colleagues.
If Christian fired them because of her, Anastasia wouldn’t mind recommending them to the Graves Group.
Even if Christian banned any of them in the industry, she could handle the consequences.
After saying her goodbyes, Anastasia left the office with her belongings.
Later on, Christian sent someone to investigate the incident of slander against Anastasia.
Soon, Brian had the results, and the PR manager came to report on the incident.
“You ordered us not to involve Mr. Charlie in the rumors, especially about his background, so… We had to expose Mrs. Patterson’s past to divert attention.”
Christian’s face turned serious. “What past?”
“It’s… about her indiscreet personal life before marriage. She had multiple abortions and was unable to conceive.”
Upon hearing this, Christian slammed his cup to the ground. His face immediately darkened, and he looked at the manager coldly.
“Who told you that?”
He was furious.
Christian knew what kind of person Anastasia was. She was still a virgin when she married him. So, the rumors couldn’t possibly be true.
The office fell silent.
The PR manager wiped his sweat when explaining, “Someone sent us the news about Mrs. Patterson anonymously, and Ms. Cohen also asked us to protect Mr. Charlie at all costs…”
At that moment, sensing Christian’s anger, the manager didn’t dare to hide anything.
Christian’s eyes instantly darkened, and his face turned cold and angry.
“Go back and pack your things. You’re fired.”
The PR manager begged for mercy, but it was in vain. He was eventually dragged out by security guards.
Christian had been careless this time.
The strange feeling in his heart for Anastasia grew stronger, and he couldn’t shake it off.
For several days, Anastasia ignored any calls from the company.
A week later, she got a call from the hospital, reminding her to go for a pregnancy check-up.
Only then did Anastasia remember that she was pregnant.
If it were the old Anastasia, she would have been happy to have an unbreakable connection with Christian in this world now that she had his child.
But at this moment, Anastasia couldn’t bring herself to be cheerful.
Christian had another child outside of their marriage, so what did her child mean to him?
It felt like God was playing a trick on her by giving her a baby unexpectedly.
And Anastasia knew she had decide whether to keep the child or not.
Later on, she went to the hospital alone without telling anyone.
In the ward, the doctor examined her. Seemingly sensing her hesitation, he gently told her, “The fetus is very healthy. If you don’t want it, you need to make a decision soon.”
Anastasia hesitated and smiled weakly. “Thank you. I’ll think it over.”
She then stood up and left.
Lost in thought, she walked to the gate. Her figure was slender, and her head was slightly lowered. She appeared gentle but lonely.
While Anastasia was still in a daze, a child suddenly bumped into her leg out of nowhere and fell to the ground. The next second, he clutched his forehead and cried in distress.
Anastasia was about to bend down to help him up when she froze at the sight of the child’s face.
Then she heard Beatrice’s anxious and worried voice nearby, “Charlie!”
Beatrice quickly ran over, glanced at Anastasia, hugged Charlie in her arms, and cried.
She acted like Anastasia had hurt her son.
The crying of the mother and son soon caught the attention of many people.
The next moment, Christian also ran over from the side with his sleeves rolled up, his aura cold and stern.
The scene made his face turn livid instantly, and his sharp eyes were fixed on Anastasia.With tears streaming down her face, Beatrice pleaded, “Ms. Graves, I’m sorry, but please don’t harm Charlie. He’s just a two-year-old child. Please let him go!”
Anastasia watched this scene in disbelief and couldn’t help but feel ridiculous.
Was Beatrice some kind of drama queen?
Dealing with Beatrice’s tricks was becoming tiresome, and she found them incredibly dull.
Christian held Charlie in his arms, comforting him silently with a tender and loving gaze.
When he looked at Anastasia, his eyes were sharp, and he frowned slightly.
“Why are you here? Are you following us?” He questioned angrily.
Anastasia’s heart skipped a beat, her mood worsened.
She scoffed lightly, “What makes you think I would follow you? You think too highly of yourselves.”
Gradually, Charlie stopped crying in Christian’s arms. He relied more on his father.
Watching this, Anastasia only felt irritated. When she thought of the purpose of her visit, she became even more annoyed.
It felt as if her airway was blocked, making it difficult to breathe.
The struggle to breathe even caused a slight pain in her lower abdomen, as if something had fallen.
Softly, Beatrice said, “Charlie had a fever. Christian and I brought him to see a doctor, but to our surprise, he went missing when we turned around. Ms. Graves, I didn’t expect to find you here. What are you doing?”
She seemed to accuse Anastasia of taking Charlie away.
Anastasia sneered and snapped, “He bumped into me himself! I didn’t even touch him. Surveillance cameras are a great invention. Use some common sense. Look at the footage before accusing others of something they didn’t do.”
Beatrice’s face stiffened, and her sobs stopped.
She seemed to have forgotten about the surveillance cameras. So, her previous accusations could easily be disproven.
She was about to say something to clear the air when Anastasia turned away with her bag.
Christian frowned and quickly handed Charlie to Beatrice.
“Wait for me here.”
He hurriedly caught up with Anastasia.
He couldn’t quite decipher his feelings, but Anastasia’s differences and the subtle changes in his heart made him uneasy.
When he caught up with Anastasia, she was waiting for a car outside.
Christian stood there with a conflicted expression. His tone was cold.
“Why did you come to the hospital? Are you sick?”
Anastasia gave him a puzzled look.
He had accused her of following him here, and now he seemed concerned about her? Why would Christian be concerned about her?
Of course, Anastasia wasn’t about to let Christian know about her pregnancy, so she replied indifferently, “I came here to visit a friend.”
After all, Christian didn’t know who her friends were.
Christian’s face tensed up.
“Where have you been staying these days? Why haven’t you come home?”
Anastasia glanced at him coldly, her voice extremely indifferent.
“Why do you care? Since I’ve moved out, you can bring your lover and illegitimate child to live there!”
Christian raised an angry eyebrow.
Anastasia chuckled.
“Right, Mr. Patterson, you have so many houses. How could you make them live in a second-hand house? Their existence is no secret.”
Christian suppressed his anger, silently enduring it. His voice turned cold.
“I always thought your character had no flaws. Can’t you even tolerate raising Charlie and treating him like your own?”
Anastasia’s heart trembled, and she tightly clenched her fists.
Did she have to tolerate the child of him and another woman? Was she to blame for being narrow-minded?
She smiled slowly, a touch of coldness in her expression.
“Christian, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. You’ve seen the divorce agreement. Besides going through the formalities, don’t bother me with anything else.”
The car pulled up in front of Anastasia.
She glanced at the license plate number, got into the car, and closed the door.
She didn’t even spare him another glance.
It was ridiculous. Did he think she should naturally take care of his mistress and illegitimate child?
Was she supposed to degrade herself like that?
Looking at her indifferent face, Christian remained outwardly calm but internally flustered.
He hadn’t told her that the public incident last time was orchestrated by the PR department.
But even if he did, she might not believe him.
Somehow, he felt like something was quietly slipping away from his heart, and he was too powerless to stop it.
At that time, Beatrice approached from behind with a crying Charlie in her arms and asked cautiously, “Charlie is crying again. Is he still running a fever?”
Christian snapped out of his thoughts. His face remained cold. Suppressing his icy aura, he turned around and looked at the adorable Charlie gently.
“Don’t worry. The doctor will have a solution.”
Beatrice smiled weakly and looked at him tentatively.
“I saw your divorce agreement. Christian, are you really going to get a divorce?”
Christian’s smile froze. His eyes turned cold in an instant, and he looked at her nonchalantly.
“No, she will always be Mrs. Patterson.”
Beatrice’s disappointment was evident. She forced a fake smile, her lips stiff and her eyes cold.
“That’s good. Otherwise, I would feel sad and blame myself,” she added as Christian walked in with Charlie in his arms.
Christian remained silent and walked past Beatrice without acknowledging her. Beatrice lowered her gaze, her eyes betraying her resentment and unwillingness.
Christian didn’t want a divorce, so Beatrice had decided to target Anastasia.
***
Back at home, Anastasia received several text messages from strangers. They contained intimate photos of Beatrice and Christian, along with insults about Anastasia’s fertility issues.
She didn’t need to think twice to know who was behind these messages.
Anastasia saved all the messages as evidence for her divorce, which she had been handed on a silver platter.
During this time, Anastasia enjoyed good food and had fun with Eleanor. She felt more relaxed and in a better state than before.
That night, Eleanor took her to a club to meet some friends.
Anastasia didn’t refuse the invitation. She laughed and chatted with her friends, feeling like she had returned to the carefree days before getting married.
Halfway through the gathering, Anastasia excused herself to go to the bathroom.
To her surprise, she bumped into Beatrice there.
Anastasia looked away and took out her lipstick to touch up her makeup, treating Beatrice as a stranger.
Beatrice observed Anastasia, who looked radiant and charming, and couldn’t help but feel jealous.
“Ms. Graves, I didn’t expect to find you enjoying yourself at the club. Christian and I are having a great time here. Would you like to come and say hello?”
Anastasia could sense Beatrice’s attempt to show off. She smiled indifferently and glanced at Beatrice’s pretentious face in the mirror, her tone cold.
“If you’re capable, ask Christian to divorce me. Don’t bother me, or I’ll slap you.”
Anastasia warned Beatrice fiercely, giving her a cold gaze, and then turned to leave.
As she walked away, a piece of paper accidentally fell out of her bag. Unaware of it, Anastasia continued on her way.
However, Beatrice bent down and picked up the paper. It was an examination report. As she read the results, she was shocked.
Anastasia was pregnant!
Beatrice tightly clutched the report, feeling a surge of unease and growing nervousness.
She struggled to breathe. If Christian found out about Anastasia’s pregnancy, all her efforts would be in vain. And her hopes of becoming part of the Patterson family with Charlie would be shattered.
Beatrice’s eyes turned dark and filled with determination.
She would never let anyone stand in her way!
Anastasia returned to the private room, where everyone was almost drunk. Eleanor called an end to the gathering, and Anastasia went outside to wait for Eleanor and the designated driver.
Standing at the intersection, surrounded by dim streetlights, Anastasia gently smiled, placing one hand on her lower abdomen. She seemed to be talking to her baby.
In that instant, Beatrice’s anger and ruthlessness erupted. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes filled with malice and fury.
There was only one crazy thought in her mind. She wanted to drive over and kill Anastasia’s baby!
She couldn’t allow Anastasia and her baby to become obstacles. If they were eliminated, no one would steal Christian from her.
Everything should have been hers!
In her heart, she cursed, “Anastasia, go to hell with your baby!”
Beatrice was tense all over. Gritting her teeth, she slammed on the accelerator.
Go to hell!As Anastasia looked up, she was met with a fierce glare from the opposite side, making it impossible for her to even open her eyes.
Then, with a harsh grinding sound, a car came rushing toward her at high speed.
In that moment, her mind went blank, and her limbs turned cold.
As the car collided with her, she saw clearly who was behind the wheel.
It was Beatrice.
The sharp sound seemed to pierce through the silent night sky.
With a loud crash, Anastasia was sent flying through the air and landed heavily on the ground.
Intense pain surged through her body, as if every bone had shattered, and then all the pain concentrated in her lower abdomen.
Warm liquid flowed from her body, as if something was slowly leaving her.
Her heart constricted, and fear and excruciating pain overwhelmed her.
Anastasia couldn’t move a muscle. She felt abandoned by the world.
Save her baby…
She had made up her mind to raise the baby alone.
But now, she was on the verge of losing her child.
She was helpless. Tears and blood mixed together, streaming down her face.
In great pain, she couldn’t a single word. The harsh light ominously filled her surroundings. The smell of blood filled her nostrils, and her vision grew increasingly blurred.
The three-year marriage had left her with nothing.
Her heart felt like it was being crushed in someone’s hands.
The pain spread through every nerve in her body.
There was a deafening silence all around. But Anastasia could almost hear Eleanor’s panicked and hysterical cries.
Gradually, the ringing in her ears faded away…
Soon, she passed out.
People rushed out of the club, making it a chaos.
An ambulance quickly arrived.
Eleanor finally let the doctor take away Anastasia and stood up. She rushed towards the car, picked up a nearby brick, and fiercely smashed Beatrice’s car window.
Beatrice seemed frightened and trembled uncontrollably.
The car window shattered, so Eleanor opened the car door from the inside and grabbed Beatrice by the hair, pulling her out of the car. She forcefully kicked her and followed it up with a slap.
“Smack!” The sound of the slap was crisp and loud, shocking everyone present.
Eleanor tore at Beatrice’s hair, seething with anger.
“Do you know who she is? How dare you harm her…”
Beatrice’s face was pale as she regained her senses. She pushed Eleanor away and threw herself into Christian’s arms, crying in terror.
“I didn’t mean to, Christian! It was too dark, and I didn’t see she was there…”
Christian furrowed his brow and watched the chaotic scene with a gloomy face.
As he came out, he witnessed the medical staff lifting a stretcher onto the ambulance.
When he saw the dark red puddle on the ground, he felt panic and that something bad had happened.
Eleanor coldly watched the guilty couple as her hatred grew.
“Christian, Beatrice, you will pay for this with your lives!”
After the curse, Eleanor jumped into the ambulance and left with Anastasia.
Christian felt unusually uneasy and wanted to go after them, but Beatrice clung tightly to him, not letting go.
“Help me, Christian. I really didn’t mean to…” Beatrice pleaded desperately.
Christian’s brow furrowed with coldness as he pushed her away.
“What exactly happened?”
Beatrice cried pitifully, clutching onto his clothes.
“I just returned and haven’t adapted to driving rules here. And it was so dark that I didn’t see someone standing there. Christian, Charlie can’t be without a mother…”
Christian’s expression softened slightly at the mention of Charlie, and he tried to get back his composure.
He remained silent for a few seconds before patting her shoulder and comforting her.
“I understand. I will have my lawyer help you. Everything will be fine.”
Beatrice cried and laughed with relief, embracing him once again.
“Thank you, Christian. I knew you wouldn’t abandon Charlie and me.”
The restlessness remained. He immediately called Brian.
The police arrived quickly, and Brian and the lawyer arrived soon after.
After gathering evidence, the police asked Beatrice, “Do you know the person who was hit?”
Beatrice weakly leaned against Christian’s chest, shocked and bewildered, shaking her head.
“It was too dark. I couldn’t see anything clearly.”
After they finished questioning her, Christian instructed Brian.
“Negotiate with them for any amount of compensation. Minimize the impact of this incident.”
Brian nodded and went with the lawyer to accompany Beatrice to the police station.
Inside the hospital.
The doctor came out of the operating room with a grim expression.
“We couldn’t save the baby. Please have the family of the patient come.”
Eleanor stood at the door in shock. She took out her phone, crying as she spoke.
“Mr. Baxter Graves, Anastasia has been in an accident…”
In the early morning of the next day, Brian and the lawyer obtained Beatrice’s release from the police station and took her to Christian’s place.
Then the police and Brian went to the hospital to discuss compensation matters.
However, only Eleanor and the lawyer were waiting when they arrived at the hospital.
Brian found Eleanor somewhat familiar but couldn’t remember where he had seen her before.
The police approached for questioning.
“What is your relationship to the injured person?” the officer asked.
“A friend,” Eleanor replied.
“What is the name of the injured person?”
“Anastasia Graves.”
As soon as Eleanor spoke, Brian’s face changed as he stared at her in shock.
Eleanor looked at Brian with a cold smile, then threw the surgical examination report to him.
“You want to negotiate? Ask Christian how to settle the debt that Beatrice, that wretched woman, has caused by killing Anastasia and his baby. How should we account for it?” Eleanor said.
Brian hastily picked up the report, and his face turned pale.
He didn’t say a word, immediately turned around, and made a phone call to report the situation.
Anastasia was pregnant, but none of them knew!
The victim was Anastasia, and on top of that, the baby was gone. This made the situation even more complicated!
However, when he tried calling, there was no answer at all.
Two words echoed in his mind. “It’s over!”
Christian put his phone on silent mode as he accompanied Charlie to sleep.
Beatrice intermittently cried throughout the night. Christian couldn’t leave right away, so he stayed until dawn.
When Brian finally reached Christian the next day at noon.
Christian’s voice sounded tired and hoarse and was even with a hint of impatience.
“Has it been resolved?”
Brian hesitated for a moment and replied, “The victim won’t come forward, so we can’t negotiate compensation.”
“And what about the person? Is it serious? Offer more money.”
Christian’s voice turned cold and grave.
Brian paused momentarily. “Mr. Patterson, the victim was Mrs. Patterson, and…”
He took a deep breath, then continued.
“Mrs. Patterson was pregnant, just one month along, and now the baby is gone!”
Silence enveloped the call…
🌟 Continue the story here
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It’s a good thing my grandfather’s dead; he’d die if he saw me now.
“Keep walking, mutt.”
The prison guard shoves me from behind and I stumble forward into the sunlight.
Outside the gates are two alphas.
One was my love. One was my best friend.
They’re both the reason I was left here to rot.
__________
“Stop!” I tell the guard. “I don’t want to go out this way.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He shoves me. “All you females get attached. I got no time for trash like you. Get a move on!” He shoves me again and I stumble to my knees.
The snow bites through my clothes, chilling me to the bone.
It’s been three years.
Three years in this hell-hole, fending off daily assaults, and constrained to a cage with no warmth.
They’d bound me in silver for so long I was severed from my wolf. I still mourn that loss.
Our regeneration powers. The ferocity she gave me to fight. The freedom I felt in my true form, when I could run and be free…If I had my wolf, I’d attack this lowly guard. But without her, I’m just another weak human. The guard kicks me in the ribs. Not hard enough to break them; just enough to remind he holds the power here.
“Move it,” he growls at me.
I push to my feet and walk along the barbed-wire fence. Funny, I’ve dreamed of this day from the moment I was imprisoned. But now, seeing the two Alphas who wait for me, everything tells me to run back and hide.
“Grace!” Jacob yells.
I turn away from Alpha Jacob who leans against his Maybach, his dark hair styled and his clothes impeccable despite the snow and sleet. Jacob was my best friend. We grew up in the same pack. I’d known him all my life. He eventually became an alpha and an attorney. The same lawyer who prosecuted me.
Then… there was Alpha Sean.
I hate Sean even more—if that’s possible. His eyes are bright and focused on me, his expression cold. The wind musses his hair in the most perfect way. He’s tall, strong, and so handsome it hurts.
Sean was my first and only love.
My mate.
Father of my baby…
I swipe away my tears and keep walking.
“Grace!” he calls, no doubt he’s furious that I’m ignoring him.
But I keep walking.
“Wait.” This time it’s Jacob.
“Grace!” Sean calls again, putting the force of his Alpha strength behind the command. “Come here.”
But his powers hold no influence on me now. Not since he severed our bond.
I stick to the edge of the barbed-wire fence and avoid these Alphas.
I have no phone. No money aside from a few odd bills. I’m broken and disfigured. A shell of the woman I’d once been. My grandfather… It’s a good thing he’s dead because he’d be gutted to see me now.
Shame bubbles up inside me, flooding my body.
Sean gets in his car, intent on intercepting me. I panic.
I run, sneakers slipping on icy ground and arms flailing as I try not to faceplant on the concrete.
A bus is rounding the corner.
I run and block out the muffled curses behind me.
I don’t stop or look over my shoulder.
They’d ordered the inmates at this prison to ‘take good care of me’. The beatings I endured almost daily for these long years tell me that either of these men might personally finish what they’d started.
As Alphas, they’d be within their rights.
After the accident, I’d been rejected and named a rogue. If they wanted to, they could put a bounty on my head or strike me down for trespassing on their territory.
But it’s not my fault I was imprisoned here!
I wave for the driver to see me as I rush across the street. I need to get out of this town—away from these two packs!
The driver takes pity on me and waits. I race the last few feet and grip the rail to haul myself inside. I fish into my pocket for what money I have and hand it over.
The driver’s dark eyes rake over me with resigned sympathy. He’s an older man, with wrinkles on his forehead and the corners of his eyes.
“That’s too much money,” he says quietly.
But I’m shaking too hard to count it and I’m terrified at any moment that Sean or Jacob will grab me and drag me away.
“It’s okay,” I say, shoving it into his hand and hurrying to the first vacant seat.
The woman across from me sniffs and turns away, like the sight of me is repulsive. She tugs her scarf closer to her neck. I don’t have a coat—just the clothes they arrested me in, a t-shirt and jeans. My hair is shorter and cut unevenly. My bruises aren’t too bad this week. My lip is mostly healed and my eye has healed from deep purple to a dull, yellowish-green.
The bus quickly lurches away from the curb.
I breathe deep, but it doesn’t taste like freedom. Panic boils up swiftly.
It’s okay. You’re okay.
Today is a new day.
But I’m not okay. Not even close.
The last time I was in a moving vehicle, it ended in a horrific crash. One that set this whole horrible chain of events into motion. One that cost me my pack, my mate. My everything.
The last time I was in a car, I lost my baby…
Three Months Later
I never minded winter before. My wolf loved to run in the snow . But since losing Ava and the damage to my body, the cold makes my bones ache and the pain in my fingers almost unbearable.
In prison, they ripped out my fingernails and broke my bones. The doctors reset my fingers, but with no actual surgery the damage to the nerves and joints was permanent. And without my wolf, I can’t regenerate.
My fingers always throb now. There’s nothing to be done for it, so I try to think of other things, to keep my mind off the pain.
I shove my tools back into my locker and zip my coat.
There are only a handful of employees working at this hour and most of them flit around pretending to work.
This sanitation center is in neutral territory, not controlled by any pack. The lowest of wolves from the four reigning packs in the area can still find work here. There are other rogues, humans that don’t realize what we are, and poor wolves that aren’t wanted elsewhere.
It isn’t bad, I suppose. The work is hard and the hours are long. But it’s a legitimate job, and it pays the bills.
“Did you hear? Sean Stevens got engaged to Lily Atkinson!”
I stop dead in my tracks.
It’s one of my coworkers, sitting behind the reception desk with her feet up and watching entertainment news.
Sean Stevens.
My Alpha…
Sean, whose cold eyes still haunt me even after all these years.
‘So… he’s moving on and marrying Lily?’
Bile rises in my throat.
It’s because of Lily that my life went to trash.
She always wanted to be Luna, and hated me because I didn’t come from a wealthy family like she does. And also because… she wanted Sean for herself.
Wolves are known to be ruthless, but Lily is more ruthless than most.
I should know…
She killed my grandfather.
Lily’s smiling face on the tv screen mocks me. Her long hair is swept back. Her face glowing flawlessly. And she’s looking up at Sean like he’s the only man in the world.
My stomach pitches when I think of all I’ve lost—all they’ve taken from me.
I open the door outside into the cold night, my breath fogging up the air.
I had been that girl.
Gorgeous clothes. Fancy cars. A life of luxury. The envy of she-wolves throughout the region.
Lily Atkinson was living my life.
Now, I’m a no-name who cleans streets for a living.
I shove my hands into my pockets and start the long walk home. The studio apartment I rent is three miles away. It’s still in the neutral zone within the city, so I’m lucky that I don’t have to commute from far. I’ve thought about moving far away and petitioning another pack for clemency.
I could be a servant or maybe put my degrees to use somehow. But such a move would take money. And that’s if the new pack wanted to risk Sean’s wrath. Because I’ve discovered since getting out of prison that Sean had made it his personal mission to keep me in the gutter.
Before the accident, I’d gone to school and graduated at the top of my class. I was an attorney!
But my education and title meant nothing now, as a convicted felon. Even human companies had been warned against me.
I’ll sweep the streets and pick up trash along the side of the road and save what money I can. Then, when I have enough, I’ll leave this place. Forever.
I don’t mind the work. It’s honest. With my wolf gone, my senses aren’t as acute, so the stink doesn’t bother me much. And the night shift I work is quiet, so I don’t have to interact with anyone if I don’t want to.
I tug my coat tighter and keep walking.
The businesses in this area closed hours ago, making the streets eerily quiet.
Headlights flash as a car speeds past me in the opposite direction. The engine slows. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder and watch the car pull a U-turn. There’s no cause for a car to be creeping along around here,especially not a luxury SUV like this one.
A trickle of dread rolls down my spine.
I keep walking, but every instinct I have tells me to run.
The SUV swerves in front, cutting me off.
The doors open and four people get out. Three males. One female.
“Told you it was her!”
The man’s voice is deep and slurred. Clearly drunk.
A few years ago, a situation like this wouldn’t have been more than an annoyance. But I’m not as strong or fast or capable of defending myself.
And four against one are not good odds.
I call to Ava, hoping maybe this time, I feel something.
But there’s nothing…
Unable to shift, I keep walking, stretching the distance between us.
The second male, a twenty-something guy in a gray suit, blocks me. “It’s her alright. Sean’s ex.”
“Where you going, sweetheart?” it’s the first male again. He’s on my right, but moving behind me.
They’re boxing me in.
“Surprised they let you out of prison.” The guy in the suit smiles. “Bet you were lonely in there.”
He smells like whiskey and malice. I don’t need my wolf to see the dark desire in his eyes.
The female is laughing. Her eyes sparkle with something malicious too. The male on my right side, I remember now.
Chris Peterson, a businessman that Sean’s pack had dealings with. I met him at some business dinners. He’s sleazy and I never liked him.
The four of them are wolves. Low-level, but still dangerous…
Chris steps closer to me. He brushes my cheek, and I jerk away from his touch. “There’s gotta be better ways for you to make money, Grace. Come with me,” he says. “I’ll pay you for the night. Beats sweeping the streets.”
The woman laughs again. “You were a lawyer, and now you’re…what? Janitor?!”
I can take the humiliation.
But what Chris is proposing…
“Leave me alone.” I duck under the gray suit’s arm, but the third guy grabs me.
“Maybe you didn’t hear my friend,” he says. He’s stocky, his fingers crushing my arms. I feel the bite of his grip through my coat.
Chris grabs my hair and I’m dragged backwards.
“Stop!” I scream.
But there’s no one to hear me.
The men snicker and turn back to the she-wolf. Two of them crowd her and then shove her into the back seat of the Range Rover. She’s laughing again, and I’m horrified at what’s happening.
“Chris, you can’t—“
He slams my head into the building. My back’s against the wall. I can’t escape.
He knocks my head back again and my vision dims. “S-stop!”
His hand tightens around my throat and I claw at his wrist “L-Let me go…”
Chris jerks at his belt and his eyes flash. I start kicking. He blocks me and then curses when I land my knee in his groin.
“You b*tch!”
He backhands me so hard my ears ring.
I have no doubt this wolf can and will overpower me. But I can’t give up.
“You wanna run, Grace?” His eyes light up again, his wolf close to the surface.
There’s no contest. In his true form he’d run me down, and I wouldn’t survive.
“N-No,” I whimper.
“I’ll even give you a head start…” He draws back and I’m frozen with indecision.
If I stay, he’ll hurt me. If I run, he’ll chase me down and hurt me more.
“One…two…three…” he’s counting.
I can’t just stand here.
I shove off the wall and run as fast as I can.
I cut down a deserted side street but he follows. Chris isn’t rushing at all. He’s toying with me.
“Six…seven…”
I run for all I’m worth, and at the count of ‘ten’ I hear the low growl.
Not of a human.
A wolf.
I race for the nearest main street, thinking if I can get somewhere more populated, I’ll be able to escape. Chris can’t fully shift within city limits.
But I never get the chance.
His snarling form gains on me and in the next heartbeat, I’m slammed to the concrete. I roll and scrape across the ground.
I try to get up but can’t.
Chris pins me down. His eyes glow with his wolf. Running only excited his beast more.
“You thought I forgot the way you insulted me, b*tch? You told Sean to stop working with me. It cost my family millions!”
His teeth elongate. “But he isn’t here to protect you now.”
Is he going to kill me? As a rogue, I won’t be missed.
“Fight all you like, but I’m going to f*ck you like the b*tch you are, right here on the street.”
I fight hard, shoving and scratching at his arms and face. But he’s so much stronger than I am.
Ava! Please!
Desperately, I call to my wolf. But there’s only silence.
She’s retreated to some deep part of my soul or the long exposure to the silver has permanently severed my bond to her.
Chris catches my wrists and slams my arms above my head. Then he fumbles with my clothes.
“That’s right,” he mutters. “Fight me. Scream if you want. Nobody’s coming.”
He tears my coat, my pants.
“Please! Stop!” I scream, tears leaking from my eyes.
His claws cut into the skin on my arm where he holds me.
“Stop it! Get off me! Stop!!!”
“I think you should listen to the lady.” A cold voice sounds behind me.
I cower and scramble away as a man grabs Christopher and throws him a dozen feet away.
Chris growls. The newcomer tilts his head.
Then he charges at Chris and they tumble to the ground. The man comes out on top. Then he rains punches on Chris that echo loudly in the air.
Chris is wheezing, his face bleeding.
The stranger doesn’t relent. He slams his fists over and over again.
It’s brutally violent.
Part of me revels in it—the justice—because I know if not for him, Chris would’ve assaulted me, and despite open violence in our true forms being forbidden, his wolf undoubtedly would have torn me apart if given the chance.
A shuddering breath escapes me.
The stranger’s head turns sharply as if he’s attuned to me. I see it then, the flash of gold.
He’s a wolf.A strong one.
In the next instant, he turns and resumes hitting the unconscious body beneath him.
“S-Stop,” I whisper. “You’ll kill him.”
“So?” the stranger growls.
“It’s not worth violating pack laws for him.”
It’s true. This man saved me. But Chris is a wolf of rank and status. If he died there’d be repercussions, and I don’t think they’d care that this man was defending me.
They might even punish him more.
Chris’s head thumps as he’s unceremoniously dropped to the ground.
I wince.
The male stalks over to me. I blink as I’m finally able to see the man clearly.
He’s tall. Well over six feet.
And handsome.
Dark eyes and a strong jaw. Full lips and a strong body.
His hair is longer on top and stylishly messy.
My thoughts are interrupted as the SUV comes careening around the corner.
I tense.
This could be bad.
But instead of fighting, they take in this stranger, standing with his hands shifted so his claws are ready to strike. They must see the same thing I do—this wolf is fearless.
Rather than challenge him or attack me, they gather Chris and pull him into the SUV.
He stirs and starts swearing. “You b*tch! I’ll kill you both!”
The man who saved me bristles, stalking toward the car.
“Don’t.” I catch his arm. “He isn’t worth it.”
His dark eyes remind me of the depths of the forest I ran as a child. Woods so dark and dense that you could hardly see the Goddess’ moonlight from above.
This man though… He looks deadly—like people’s lives mean nothing to him at all. Perhaps they don’t.
Most wolves don’t think humans are equal. And within packs, fights for dominance are common.
But…
“It is not worth being imprisoned over someone like him.”
The man doesn’t react, but I sense him relaxing.
The she-wolf sticks her head out the car. “Holy sh*t! Is that Jason Reed!?”
The other two men look back and forth between her and the stranger. “What, are you drunk?” one of them says. They climb into the front seats. The stocky one peers out the window, “Jason Reed, the richest man in the city? No f*cking way!”
I blink, confused.
Jason Reed is the Alpha. The wealthiest, most powerful werewolf to emerge in a century.
He wouldn’t be in this part of the city, wearing rags and sporting bruised knuckles. He wouldn’t waste his time on humans. Or a rogue wolf.
On me.
This is no billionaire. His jacket is threadbare, and his face is haunted.
This man—my savior—is in old clothes. He looks… as broken as I do.
This man is big and strong, and he might have alpha tendencies. But he’s probably a rogue too. Why else would he even be here?
I watch the car tear up the street. When the road is quiet again, I look back at the man. “Thank you… for saving me.”
He grunts, but says nothing more.
He walks to the edge of the road—the same spot where Chris pinned me, and sits down on the curb.His hands have morphed back, no claws or fur visible. This man appears in perfect control. But what if that should slip? What if Chris were to come back here, with more men?
I don’t think this wolf would back down. And he’d either end up in jail, or worse… at the mercy of pack enforcers should his wolf break free.
I walk over to him. “Um… Aren’t you going home now?”
No response.
I lower my voice. “You should go back to your pack. Or take a run to cool off, maybe. Do you want me to call your family?”
He slowly raises his head, and what I see leaves me speechless.
Death. Darkness so absolute that the only thing comparable is…death.
I’ve seen the same darkness in my own eyes many times. When my grandfather died. When Ava was stripped from me. When I lost my baby.
I swallow past the memories rising up to haunt me. ”If you have nowhere to go… you can stay with me.”
I’m not sure why I invited the strange wolf to my home.
I’m obviously grateful. He saved me from what would’ve been rape or death or worse. But I usually don’t involve myself with other wolves these days.
Since my release, I’ve stuck to myself.
So why did I welcome him? Gratitude, sure.
More likely… because I’m lonely. So lonely it’s hard to imagine what I’m living for. But in those brief seconds this stranger risked his life for mine…it was like someone saw something in me. Something worth saving.
He glances at me sharply while I fumble with the lock. I open the door and hold it open for him to enter.
They call it a ‘studio apartment,’ but it feels more like a box. A cramped space with just the essentials—a bed, table, kitchen and bathroom.
I watch him carefully, his expression giving nothing away. I gesture to his still bloody hands. “If you want to wash up…”
He wordlessly moves to the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
Chris is a monster. The wolves that were with him…they’re no better.
If I was still an attorney, I would’ve put them all in prison for their crimes or have them punished by pack law. But life had taught me that the innocent rarely prevailed.
I repeat my mantra in my head.
It’s okay. You’re okay.
Today is a new day.
The man steps out of the bathroom. His brows furrow as he looks at me.
I can only imagine what he sees.
My clothes are torn. I’m dirty and bruised. My hair’s a mess and I’m sure my face is too. The back of my hair is caked and I’m pretty sure I’ve got a gash from when Chris smashed my head into a wall.
He sniffs deeply. “You’re not human.”
It’s a statement, not a question.
“No. But I’m not like you,” I tell him the truth. “My wolf is gone.”
His eyes widen, the most emotion I’ve seen from him.
His gaze travels over me, probably cataloging all my injuries. If I could shift, my body could heal instantly. But without my wolf…
I am weak. Fragile. Human.
“I’m fine,” I say. “I’ll heal.” Eventually…
“Are you hungry?” I ask. “I don’t have much, but I have dry rice and pasta—“
“I’m not hungry.”
“Let me get you a drink.”
“I’m not thirsty.”
I’ve been on my own for so long, I am not up to casual conversation. If I’m being honest, I don’t think he’s too good at that either.
He crosses the small room until he’s directly in front of me.
I lift my head, tilting it back, until I meet his eyes.
I twist my hands together anxiously, and they ache. Just one more pain in my scarred body. But even that pales to the discomfort of not knowing what to say or do or how to act around this strong wolf.
He touches my face and a soft sigh escapes me.
He tilts my head, side to side.
I feel awkward, and strangely lacking, beneath his gaze.
“What’s your name?” he asks.
“Grace… You?”
He remains silent for a long time, then finally answers: “Jay.”
“Jay,” I repeat his name. It’s a common one, could even be an initial or nickname, so I don’t think much about it. “Where do you live? What about your pack?”
He scoffs. “I don’t have one.”
That’s heartbreaking. He’s a good man. One who thought nothing of saving a total stranger. It didn’t seem fair that he was rogue or exiled.
He’s watching me closely, his senses sharper than mine. I wonder what he’s learning about me. I squirm uncomfortably.
I take a step backward, but he follows.
This man… Jay… is powerful. He’s big and strong and he has alpha genes. A body and will made for war. I wonder briefly if he ever fought in the great pack wars, like my grandfather did
This man has the body of a warrior and the face of a model. One of his dark brows arches up and I realize I’ve been staring… A lot.
I blush, embarrassment staining my face and warming my ears.
“You, uh, really should shift,” I stutter, latching onto the distraction. He isn’t injured. But the fight would’ve stirred his animal instincts. Better to let the wolf takeover than keep it caged up.
“Why is that, Grace?” The way he says my name makes my breath hitch in my chest. He lifts my chin with his large hand, forcing me to look him in the eye.
“What is it you’re hoping will happen…?”
Then he bends down to me, his face inches away, his lips so, so close to mine. His hot breath sends shivers through my body. And I feel something stirring within me that I haven’t felt in years. Something like desire…
It would only take one swift move to lean in, and…
I’m speechless.
I think he’s talking about… no.
I already told him I have no wolf.
And we aren’t packmates—or any kind of mates!—so the normal way our beasts would connect and interact with one another… that won’t apply here.
The thought saddens me.
“I, uh, just thought you’d be more comfortable…”
I’m blushing again. And I feel awkward.
These are emotions I haven’t experienced in so long they feel foreign to me.
Jay steps back a few feet.
He rolls down his sleeves and undoes a few buttons. Then he peels his shirt over his head.
His abs ripple.
His chest is … dense with muscle. His skin is bronzed like he spends a lot of time in the sun.
His pants hang low on his hips and he doesn’t wear a belt. When he undoes the top button and slides down the zipper, I clamp my eyes shut.
He makes some sound. It isn’t a laugh, I don’t think. Or if it is, it is a very rusty one.
I wish I could see his eyes.
His body.
To see that magical moment when space and time seem to glimmer and the body contorts, morphing into something else.
I don’t move.
I don’t think I breathe.
It’s several seconds before something cold nudges my hand.
I open my eyes and look down. It’s his snout.
This wolf is huge.
He’s dark, not quite black throughout, but with an undercoat of grey and brown that shows through when he moves.
He sits on his haunches, his head near to my hand. And I can’t resist. I reach out and rub along his head and shoulders.
He leans into my touch.
His fur is so soft and I wish I had my own wolf. That Ava could rub against him, learning his personality and smell.
Our beasts communicate so much better than we do. Everything is instinctual. None of the guessing or pretense or wondering at motives.
Wolves are primal that way, and stronger because of it.
I grab a heavy blanket and set it on the floor beside my bed. I move to set my pillow on the ground and he growls at me.
All right.
It’s not like I would’ve minded sleeping on the floor. The mattress at the prison wasn’t more than an inch thick.
He nudges my hand then swings his head toward the bathroom. It’s obvious he wants me to go in. And, of course, I intend to. I’m sure I smell of sweat and Christopher, and I can’t wait to wash this night off of me.
I cross the small room and he stays there near the bed, waiting.
I grab my nightclothes and gasp when I enter the bathroom.
I’m a mess.
Blood on my face, a busted, swollen lip. Bruises on my throat and jaw.
A moment later, he’s there. His wolf eyes assessing me, a low growl emanating.
“I’m okay,” I whisper. “I, uh, didn’t realize what a mess I am.”
There’s a cut on my arm and when I rub the back of my head my hand comes away red.
Jay growls viciously.
“It’s not deep. It’s just a scape. Head wounds always bleed a lot.”
How sad is it, that I should know that so intimately?
This wolf cocks his head like he thinks what I said is sad too.
I turn on the shower and he swings back into the main room. I quietly close the door, strip and step under the water.
I want it to be hot.
But the plumbing in this building is old, so instead the shower alternates between lukewarm and cold.
I’m shivering by the time I finish and my hands are cramping painfully.
I towel dry the best I can and dress quickly.
When I step out, Jay is in his human form again.
“You look disappointed,” he says.
I guess I sort of am. It’s been years since I’ve been connected to my wolf, and maybe seeing his satisfies some of the loneliness. Like I might be alone, but I’m still part of something.
Our species lives on.
Even if not through me.
Not my baby.
I cross the room and climb into bed. I’m sad and unsettled, but then Jay surprises me and sits down on the mattress beside me, and I suck in a breath as he leans over me.
His hand lifts my face from side to side.
I’m not sure what I expected. Or what I’m feeling. “I, uh, I’m fine. Just a few bruises.”
He makes some sound.
Then he’s bringing me forward so my head is against his bare chest. His hands are in my hair. As he bends my head more so he can see the back of it, my lips graze his skin.
He freezes.
“I didn’t mean to do that.” My breath fans against his skin as I speak and his muscles tense.
Up this close, I can smell him. And it’s clean and strong. A scent that’s layered and not quite describable—at least not for my human senses—and I breathe him in.
“You should see a doctor,” he tells me.
With what money? I can barely afford my rent and enough food to eat.
He moves off the bed and onto the floor. He stretches out his long body and crosses his ankles.
The space he left feels cold and empty. It’s…odd.
”I usually sleep with the lights on,” I tell him. “I hope you don’t mind.” Ever since I was released from prison, I had gotten into the habit.
“That’s fine.”
It should feel weird having a man alone beside me where I sleep. But it doesn’t. If Jay wanted to hurt me, he wouldn’t have defended me on the street.
I lay down on the bed, he stays positioned on the floor.
The room is silent save for the soft hum of the heater. If I listen hard enough, I can hear him breathe.
I stay motionless, waiting. After a few minutes, I roll over onto my elbow. “Jay, if you don’t have anywhere to go, you can also live here.”
I’m not even sure he understood me, I say it so fast. But his head tilts as he sits up slowly.
We’re so close I can see the flickers of brown and gold in his dark eyes.
“If you don’t want to, just pretend I didn’t say anything,” I add.
His mouth finally opens and he asks quietly, “Do you want me?”
🌟 Continue the story here
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“Yes. Yes. Fuck yes.” His deep voice echoed in the dimly lit bedroom, accompanied by heavy breathing.On the bedside table, his phone started to ring, but he ignored it.
Cordelia was annoyed at herself for enjoying this, but his deep, powerful thrusts into her body were too pleasurable.
Only once a month would they have sex. Tonight, Elijah was particularly passionate, almost pushing her to the brink of passing out. And in the dark, Cordelia could close her eyes so as not to see how coldly he looked at her, despite his desire.
She sank into the feeling of him moving inside her, and came to an intense climax, her whole body shaking with pleasure. Elijah came at almost the exact same time, then immediately separated himself from her body and answered the ringing phone. His indifference pierced her heart, as it always did.
They’d been married for three years, and ever since their wedding day, rumors of his affairs with other women had never ceased.
She pretended not to know about it, even defending him in front of others. But she maintained the image of their “perfect” marriage on her own.
“Don’t cry. I’ll be right there.” Elijah’s voice was soft as he spoke on the phone to his mistress. Cordelia had done some sleuthing and knew her name was Ava. Elijah never spoke to Cordelia so sweetly, and her heart ached to hear it.
Then he hung up and quickly dressed.
“I won’t be staying here tonight,” he said in a flat tone.
Cordelia stared at him for a long time. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a thick head of hair. His muscles were well-defined, matching his chiseled, handsome face.
Before they’d married, Elijah was the man that all the socialites in the city fantasized about. Just one look at his charming smile, and they were enchanted. It was a pity that Cordelia figured out he was a jerk only after they were wed.
When Elijah reached the bedroom door, she finally spoke, her voice intentionally emotionless.
“Elijah… I want a divorce.”
Elijah paused, his cold eyes turning back to her. “Didn’t I satisfy you tonight? What else do you want?”
“I’m tired of this sham marriage. What’s the point of staying together?”
Elijah sneered, “Fine, but you better not change your mind.”
“Don’t worry,” Cordelia said with certainty. “I won’t.”
With just a shrug at this news, Elijah left.
And as soon as he was gone, reality came crashing down on Cordelia.
He didn’t even put up a fight!
She clutched the quilt tightly as emotions flooded through her, her lips trembling.
Her only consolation was that at least she made the right choice: to leave.
***
Early the next morning, Elijah returned to their villa, dark circles under his eyes from exhaustion.
He sat at the breakfast table, rubbing his temples.
“Nora,” he said to their maid. “Get Cordelia. I need her to massage my shoulders.”
But to his surprise, Nora replied, “Mr. Hansen, Mrs. Hansen left early this morning. She asked me to give these to you.”
Elijah’s eyes widened as Nora handed him a set of house keys and a divorce agreement.
“That damn woman!” he cried, suddenly furious. Had Cordelia been serious?
Gritting his teeth, Elijah took out his phone and dialed Cordelia’s number. It went straight to voicemail. He tried again, and again. No answer. Furious, Elijah slammed the phone onto the dining table so hard it shattered the screen.
He never thought she’d do it.
He wasn’t going down without a fight.
Cordelia stood in the sunlight of her dance studio, clutching her phone to her ear.She gazed at the city outside, her eyes filled with determination as she spoke.
“Mom, for the past three years, you and Kevin have gotten what you wanted from my marriage to the Hansen family. I’m done!”
Janice Deleon’s voice was loud and sharp, even through the phone. “You can’t just divorce Elijah! You two should try harder! Is there something you need to apologize to him for?”
“No, stop telling me I need to apologize to him! I haven’t done anything wrong!”
She clenched her fists, but it did little to ease the heavy pain in her heart she felt when she thought of her marriage.
“Cordelia, why are you being so stubborn?!” her mother berated her. “You need to take my advice! I’m your mother. If you were as sensible as your sister—”
Cordelia hung up the phone. She couldn’t stand to listen to her mother drone on about how she could never measure up to her half-sister.
Now she saw she had half a dozen missed calls from Elijah.
Why is he calling? she thought. Is he unsatisfied with the terms of the divorce agreement?
She wasn’t going to cater to whatever his demands were. She was too busy today.
Cordelia had always believed that women could live without romantic relationships, but they needed to have their own careers. So years ago she’d started her own dance studio, and it was thriving.
Cordelia was giving a tour to a businessman who was interested in a sponsorship opportunity.”
Today, she wore a one-shoulder dress, exposing her smooth shoulders and delicate collarbone, a shining diamond necklace adorning her slender neck.
The businessman couldn’t take his eyes off her, captivated by her beauty.
“Did I come at a bad time?” a voice suddenly called out.
Cordelia whipped around. “Elijah? What are you doing here?”
He was leaning against the door, faintly smiling as he observed Cordelia and the businessman, who were standing very close to each other, looking at a contract.
“Are you busy, darling?” he asked casually.
She couldn’t read his expression.
“Alright, let’s call it a day. We can finish discussing this tomorrow,” Cordelia said to the businessman, shaking his hand.
As soon as the man left, Elijah stormed over to her.
“Will you stop this divorce joke already?” He was angry and impatient.
She smiled bitterly. “It’s not a joke. I want a divorce.”
“It’s not?” He closed the short distance between them, his eyes never leaving hers.
With each step he took, she could feel her anxiety growing, but she tried to remain composed.
Suddenly, he placed his hands on her waist and drew her into him.
His voice was low and playful as he asked, “Why won’t you be a good girl for me?”
Then he kissed her cheek, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.
Cordelia’s body stiffened. She asked, “What do you want, Elijah?”
He chuckled, lifting her chin with his fingers so their eyes met.
Then he said, “Let’s have a baby.”
“That’s crazy,” she said.“Is it?” And then he kissed her. She wanted to pull away, but something about his words had struck something deep inside her.
Instead, she felt herself melting into his kiss, savoring the taste of his lips and his heady scent, a subtle blend of tea and bourbon.
Elijah’s hands traveled down her body and slid under her skirt, and the memory of their lovemaking the night before made dizzy with sudden desire.
But then Elijah’s phone rang, and in an instant Cordelia snapped back to reality. She knew who it was. His mistress. He didn’t want to have a baby with her. He was taunting her!
She pushed herself out of his grasp.
Impatiently, Elijah answered the phone call.
“What? What’s the matter now?” he said into the phone.
Standing so close to him, Cordelia could hear Ava’s sobs and whimpers from the other end of the call.
“Elijah, it hurts so much,” Ava said. “Why haven’t you come yet?”
Elijah glanced at Cordelia, and she took the opportunity to step farther away from him. She straightened her clothes.
“I’ll be there soon,” Elijah said softly to Ava.
He hung up and looked at Cordelia for a long beat. “We have dinner with my parents tomorrow night,” he said. “I’ll pick you up at six.”
Cordelia’s mouth dropped open.
“Didn’t you tell them we’re getting a divorce?”
“Let’s put that conversation on hold for now.” Elijah suddenly looked worried. It wasn’t an expression she often saw on him. “My father’s been having some heart problems lately, and I don’t want to give him unneeded stress.”
She sighed. “Elijah, I’ve already made arrangements for the divorce. I have no obligation to play along with your charade.”
“Fifty thousand dollars for one dinner with my parents,” he countered.
She paused and thought it over. She didn’t like to compromise her principles. But that was a lot of money.
“Okay,” Cordelia agreed. “But if you lay a finger on me during the ‘performance,’ there’ll be an additional charge.”
“Deal.”
Cordelia held up her phone. “Send me the payment now.”
She wasn’t going to be played for a fool.
Elijah’s eyes widened at her boldness. He stared at her for a moment, then he took out his phone and tapped on it.
“Done. See you tomorrow.”
Cordelia smiled with satisfaction, but once the door closed behind him, a deep sadness settled over her.
“Let’s have a baby? How could I even think for a second he was serious?” she scolded herself.
Her heart ached, and she hated herself for even agreeing to the dinner.
A few seconds later, her phone rang. It was her best friend, Imogen.
“Cordelia, I need your help!” Imogen cried.
Cordelia furrowed her brows. “What’s wrong?”
“I sprained my foot, and I have a performance next Friday. Can you stand in for me?” Imogen pleaded.
Cordelia quickly checked her schedule, “I can, actually. I should have enough time to practice before then.”
“Thank you so much!” Imogen said gratefully, and then she laughed. “This isn’t too terrible a request, because my dance partner is very attractive. You think you can handle the heat?”
Imogen knew Cordelia was in a loveless marriage.
“Haha. It’ll be fine.”
She was about to be freed from her loveless marriage. She could finally return to her old, happier self.
Maybe she would flirt with this sexy dance partner. Why shouldn’t she? Elijah had cheated on her many times throughout their marriage, and she never had.
Cordelia thought it would be interesting to see how Elijah reacted to her being with another man.
In fact, maybe she would mention it at dinner…
Cordelia spent the next whole day dancing and rehearsing.At exactly 6 p.m., Elijah called her.
“Where are you? I’m at the house to pick you up.”
“Shoot, I lost track of the time,” she said, out of breath.
“Don’t you dare try to cheat me out of my money!” he said, instantly furious. “We made a deal!”
Cordelia became angry, too.
“The only cheater here is you,” she said, and hung up.
Well, this was going to make for an interesting family dinner.
Cordelia quickly showered, changed into nice clothes, and touched up her makeup.
Elijah had come to pick her up. His breath hitched as he caught sight of Cordelia walking through the studio doors.
She was dressed in a sleek black V-neck dress, accentuating her curvy figure.
With her natural beauty and the added touch of makeup, she looked absolutely enchanting, a woman that any man would fall for.
Her expression was light, too, as if she had a secret. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Elijah.
“Why do you look so nice?” he demanded as she approached the car.
Cordelia looked at him like he was insane. “I dressed up for dinner, like I always do.”
“Is there someone else?” he asked. “Is that why you’re in such a hurry to divorce me? You’ve already found someone new?”
Cordelia was amazed by Elijah’s reaction. Did he care for her, or not? It was so confusing.
Cordelia glared at him, and she retorted, “Oh, so you’re suspicious of me? Isn’t that rich. The cheater’s worried he’s getting cheated on?”
“Why else would you be breathing so heavily when you answered the phone earlier?” Elijah replied hotly, his gaze intense. “Who were you just with?”
“No one. Not that it’s your business.”
Elijah grabbed her by the waist.
“Tell me the truth! Are you seeing someone new?”
She glared at him icily.
“I was practicing dance, you idiot. Now let go of me.”
Instead, he kissed her. Then he let her go.
She gaped at him, stunned.
“What is up with you?!”
Elijah said, “I’m reminding you that we’re still married.”
***
When they arrived at his parents’ house an hour later, Cordelia was greeted by her in-laws, Edith and Gabe Hansen. Edith was cold, just like her son, but Gabe greeted her with his usual warm smile.
Elijah kept his arm around her, pretending everything was peachy.
She forced a smile as she looked at him, but her eyes were devoid of affection.
“Cordelia, you look well. How is the studio?” Gabe asked.
“Terrific, Gabe.” Cordelia smiled. “Business keeps growing. I’m very fortunate.”
“So you’re still not pregnant?” Edith abruptly asked.
Cordelia, caught off guard, swallowed and lowered her eyes. This was a sensitive subject for her.
“You two should see the doctor about it. It’s time. Elijah?”
“Oh, sure,” he said, smiling at Cordelia. “We definitely should.” He was really doing a command performance of being dedicated to her.
She gave him a fake smile in return. “I think it’s a wonderful idea.” She could play this game, too.
“Good!” Edith cried. “We have one of the best fertility doctors right here in town. You two will stay here tonight and see him first thing in the morning.”
Cordelia’s mouth opened in surprise. Stay here, in the same bed as Elijah?
“We’d love to, Mother,” Elijah said with a grin before she could respond.
Cordelia wasn’t sure what to say. On one hand, she didn’t want to spend the night in a bed next to the man she’d gladly decided to divorce. But she’d taken the fifty thousand, and she had to pretend everything was okay. Who knows how much she’d get in the divorce settlement… She needed to hang on to as much money as she could.
Cordelia gritted her teeth and smiled at Edith.
“Sounds great, thank you.”
Elijah smirked at her across the table.
Cordelia wanted to kick him hard in the shins, but resisted.
The rest of the meal she was quiet.
Once dinner was over and they were in the bedroom, Cordelia looked around for an alternative.
“I can sleep on the floor,” she said.
Elijah laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’ll both sleep in the bed.”
In their three years of marriage, they’d rarely shared a bed. Yet now, he acted as if it were the most natural thing in the world for them to sleep together.
Satisfied with her silence, he turned and headed into the bathroom.
Before long, his phone began buzzing.
At first, it was a few message notifications, but then the calls started pouring in, one after another.
Cordelia knew who it was, of course. Ava was a demanding mistress.
Elijah poked his head out of the bathroom. “Can you pass me the phone?”
“It’s right on the bed. Get it yourself,” Cordelia spat.
He grinned mischievously. “Sure.”
Then he stepped out of the bathroom, completely naked and dripping wet.
Cordelia held back a squeak and quickly turned her head to the window, silently cursing him.
Elijah chuckled as he picked up the phone, standing right in front of her.
At the sight, Cordelia rolled her eyes and said, “Perv!”
He laughed again and went back into the bathroom, leaving a trail of water in his wake.
When he emerged from the bathroom again, he wasn’t dressed for bed, but to go out.
“Actually, you can have the bed to yourself,” he said, gathering his things.
“You’re serious?” Cordelia asked, shocked. “You’re going to leave me at your parents’ house to go see your mistress?”
Elijah shrugged. “You said you prefer to sleep alone. Win-win.”
“No, I prefer to not have come here and performed this stupid charade all night, and then again tomorrow, just because you don’t have the backbone to be honest with your parents.”
“You get your money either way,” Elijah retorted. “I don’t see what you’re so upset about. I’ll be back in the morning.”
Cordelia’s eyes filled with hot tears. How could he be like this? How could anyone be so cold?
She turned her back to him, and after a second, he left.
She listened to him go downstairs, her ears waiting for the sound of the front door shutting and his car starting. They never came.
A few minutes later, Elijah came back upstairs.
Had he rethought leaving? Maybe he wasn’t a complete monster, after all.
He came into the room looking annoyed, and stood awkwardly in the doorway.
Cordelia wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of asking why he’d returned.
Eventually, he cleared his throat and said, “My mother is downstairs.”
Cordelia still didn’t turn around.
“I said I was going for a drive, and she insisted I come back up here and take you with me.”
Cordelia laughed to herself. Had Edith guessed what her son was up to? Or had she accidentally hit on the most awkward possible scenario?
“So,” Elijah said to Cordelia’s back. “Will you come downstairs?”
Cordelia wanted to do anything but go for a romantic drive with Elijah. But then she realized she could benefit herself.
“I want ten thousand dollars more.”
There was a moment of silence.
Cordelia could hear the anger in Elijah’s voice when he responded. “Fine.”
So she stood up and followed him downstairs.
“Oh, good,” Edith said when they appeared. “It’s a nice night for a drive.”
Then she added, “Cordelia, come here. I have something for you.”
She beckoned her into the kitchen and Cordelia followed.
There, Edith grabbed Cordelia by the wrist.
“You can’t let him walk all over you.”
“What are you talking about?” Cordelia asked, taken aback.
“We both know where he was headed tonight. You need to grow a spine and stand up to him.”
Cordelia nodded, her face burning.
Had Edith known all along?
She returned to the front door and followed Elijah to the car.
Edith was right; she hadn’t ever put up a fight all these years with Elijah. In fact, slapping him with the divorce had been quite out of character for her. It felt good to finally demand some respect from him. Maybe he would finally get the message now.
Cordelia had been so lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed where they were.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To Ava’s.”
Cordelia’s mouth dropped open.
“We’re going to your mistress’s house?!” Cordelia exclaimed in shock.“I had already told her I’d come over,” Elijah said impatiently. “She was injured in a fire at the hospital where she works, and she needs my help.”
Cordelia shook her head. Of all the unsympathetic things Elijah had done, this was surely the worst. She felt as if something heavy had taken up residence in her chest.
“Besides,” he added, “if we’re getting divorced, it shouldn’t matter to you.”
He cut a sidelong glance at her as he said this.
Cordelia kept her expression stony. She was angry and sad, but she wasn’t going to let him see it.
They arrived at a luxury high-rise apartment building.
Elijah parked the car and entered the building, Cordelia following close behind.
She noted that he had a key and opened the door as if it was his own place.
Meanwhile, her heart was racing. She was about to meet her husband’s mistress, of all things! Her stomach began to ache, and she felt like a joke just being there.
As Cordelia entered the apartment, a girl with a sweet face came rolling out of the bedroom in a wheelchair.
Her face was tearstained, but she smiled up at Elijah sweet as sugar as he strode over to her.
“You finally came,” Ava said breathlessly.
Elijah took a tissue from the counter, knelt by her wheelchair, and gently wiped away her tears.
“Of course, I came,” he said caringly.
Cordelia suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest. Her throat tightened. She felt like she was drowning, watching the two of them.
“How is the burn healing?” Elijah asked softly. “Let me see.”
Ava unbuttoned her shirt, revealing her wounded shoulder without any hesitation. The burn wounds ran all along her skin, leaking some fluid. They looked horrifying.
Elijah’s face turned grim. “Ava, you need to go to the hospital and let a doctor see this again. I’ll take you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” she said sweetly, smiling up at him with big, helpless eyes. “If you say so.”
She reached out and took his hand. As Elijah stood up, holding her hand, Ava’s glance fell on the room behind him, and the woman in the doorway.
“Elijah…” she said, her face going slack with shock. “Who is that?”
“My wife,” Elijah said.
Ava gasped, stunned and upset.
“Why would you bring her here, Elijah?!” she cried.
“I had to. Listen, I came to make sure you’re okay. Let me put you in bed.”
For a few seconds, Ava just stared at Cordelia. Then her expression shifted from shock to sweetness.
“Okay, my darling,” she said to Elijah, fluttering her lashes at him. “You always look out for me so well. I know I’m your number one.”
Ava looked at Cordelia through her lashes with undisguised provocation.
But Cordelia didn’t give her the satisfaction of reacting, keeping calm and cool as Elijah took hold of the wheelchair and pushed Ava into the bedroom.
Cordelia was glad when they disappeared. It was so hard, pretending she didn’t care. That she wasn’t humiliated to have her husband caring for his mistress right in front of her face!
She took a seat on the couch, wondering how long she’d have to wait for them to finish their business. In the meantime, she took out her phone and messaged someone to check whether Ava owned this luxury apartment herself.
Her heart dropped when she got the response: Elijah was the owner.
So Elijah owned an apartment she didn’t even know about, and he’d moved his mistress into it.
As Cordelia pondered this, the bedroom door opened and Elijah walked out.
“I’ll come back again tomorrow,” he said gently to Ava, as he pulled the door shut after him.
He walked over to Cordelia.
“Let’s go,” he said, and Cordelia rose from the couch.
She’d slid off one of her shoes while she waited, and now stumbled a bit, putting it back on. Elijah caught her before she fell.
“Oh,” she said, surprised, hanging onto his arm. “Thank you.”
“Elijah!” Ava’s voice suddenly called urgently. “Elijah, I need you!”
Elijah sighed, released Cordelia, and turned back to the bedroom.
Cordelia, intrigued about Ava’s sharp call, looked around the room carefully.
Then she saw it. Perched at the top of the bookcase was a camera. The red light was blinking.
“Hmm,” Cordelia thought, a plan forming in her mind.
When Elijah finally emerged again, she was sitting on the couch. He nodded toward the door, and she delicately held out her hand for him to help her up.
As Elijah pulled her to her feet, she deliberately fell into his arms. He caught her, their bodies pressing against each other. With a smile, Cordelia slid her arms around his neck.
“I was just thinking about how hot things got the other night,” she murmured to him, and then, with a quick glance at the camera, she leaned in and whispered seductively in his ear.
“Let’s do it again. Now.”
Elijah smirked at her words. It was rare that Cordelia tried to seduce him, and when she did, he had never turned her down. Indeed, it was perhaps because it was so rare that he found it so exciting.
Tonight was no exception. He slid one hand down her body, and the other into her hair.
“You want it, don’t you?” He looked at her, a fire in his eyes.
Cordelia was actually a little excited by how inflamed he was by her words. She pressed her body against his.
“I do,” she said with a saucy grin.
Elijah gave her ass a squeeze and then pulled her toward the door.
For the briefest moment before the door closed behind them, Cordelia heard with satisfaction a scream of anger from Ava’s bedroom.
When they got into the car, Elijah leaned in to pick up where they left off, but Cordelia held up a hand to stop him.
She straightened her dress.
“You know what?” she said. “I’ve reconsidered. You brought me here to humiliate me. You don’t deserve to have me.”
As Elijah stared at her speechless, she buckled herself in and didn’t even glance his way the whole drive back.
When they reached his parent’s house, she informed Elijah that he’d be sleeping on the living room couch unless he wanted her to wake his parents and tell them everything. Elijah was frustrated but seemed too surprised by her behavior to put up a fight. Edith had been right—it felt good to stand up for herself. Cordelia locked the bedroom door and fell into a deep, contented sleep.
***
Cordelia kept herself busy over the following days, completely ignoring all of Elijah’s messages, of which there were many.
He’d never been so eager for her attention before. Cordelia, though, wasn’t falling for it. His kindness and attention would be short-lived, she knew. He simply wanted to know she was his, and then he’d move on to someone else.
Annoyed at her phone constantly buzzing, she finally replied to Elijah that he should only contact her once he’d signed the divorce papers.
After she sent the message, his texts immediately stopped.
The next day, Cordelia met her lawyer at Ava’s apartment building. She wanted his assessment about whether it should be included in the divorce.
As they walked up the stairs to the apartment, Cordelia heard a familiar voice. Elijah. She realized the door to Ava’s apartment was open, and she and the lawyer ducked out of sight as they listened.
“I’ll see you again soon, darling.” Elijah spoke with a gentle tone.
“Elijah, promise me you aren’t sleeping with her!” Ava cried. “Tell me you aren’t going back to your wife right now.”
Cordelia almost laughed out loud when she heard Ava’s words. She had actually managed to sow the seeds of doubt in Elijah’s mistress!
“Of course not,” Elijah said reassuringly. “Cordelia and I are done.”
“I couldn’t bear it, I couldn’t,” Ava sobbed. “Promise me.”
“Ava, I promise you. I keep promising you.”
Cordelia, having lived with Elijah for three years, recognized the hint of impatience creeping into his voice.
“It’s just that the two of you seemed so close the other night—”
“Enough, Ava. I have to go.” Elijah’s tone was firm. This was different from the gentle tone Cordelia had always heard him use with Ava.
Satisfied, Cordelia gestured to the lawyer that they should quietly slip away.
As they snuck away, Ava took out her phone and showed Elijah the screen. “Elijah, there’s a ballet performance tonight. Can you take me to it?”
“I already told you, I have to work tonight.”
“But, I really want you to come with me,” Ava whined. “Please, please, please… Or are you going to be with your wife?” Tears sprang to her eyes.
Elijah sighed. “Fine. We’ll go.”
Ava grinned inwardly, delighted at getting her way.
***
Night fell, and Elijah fulfilled his promise to Eva. He brought her to a VIP box seat.
On the ballet show’s poster, the male and female leads were wearing masks. It was said that they were ballet stars, and their identities would be revealed during the performance.
The gimmick was hyped up enough to create anticipation, and it was clear that the crowd was eager to learn who the dancers were.
Backstage, Cordelia was getting into her gorgeous costume, her lips painted fiery red.
It had been a while since she’d performed, and she was admittedly a little nervous.
Imogen came in, leaning on a crutch. “The theater is packed! This is going to be a legendary performance!”
Cordelia took a peek out of the curtains. The theater was indeed packed, with no empty seats. She said a little mantra to herself to keep calm. She was just here, she reminded herself, to help out a friend. No pressure!
She scanned the audience.
And then she saw, in the VIP box, her husband and his mistress.
“Oh no!” Cordelia cried.
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On the day I became his Mate, my best friend was attacked by rogues on her way to our ritual.
Afterward, he embraced her tightly in his arms and blamed me. “Raina, it’s all your fault. You owe her.”
From then on, the balance in his heart tilted entirely towards her.
Later, as I lay dying from assassination, I made a final mind link with him for help.
But he impatiently cut off the mind link. ‘Can’t you understand? She needs me. I can’t leave her right now!’
He didn’t know I was dying.
In my new life, I decide to grant his desire. I’ll leave him understandingly, as he wished.
Being a werewolf and getting rejected by mate is like having the heart ripped out.
My mate hasn’t flat out rejected me, but it’s not all rainbows and sunshine either. I’m only good enough to be his side piece, his mistress.
On the day they were crowned as the Alpha King and Queen, I stood in the crowd, watching the glorious celebration as the girl who once had a shot at being the future Queen was now labeled as nothing more than the “Alpha King’s mistress”.
I am a Luna, but the Alpha doesn’t love me.
Of course, being reborn, I can’t possibly love him again.
In my last life, I was infatuated with him, but he tore me apart.
In this new life, not only will I tear him apart, but I will also annihilate his entire pack!
Freya Everhart couldn’t believe it, no matter what, that on the day of her mate-bonding ritual with her lover, she would be sent to prison by her own Mate!
“Ah… Slower…!” The woman pleaded in the dimly lit room, gripping the man’s strong back.
Her moans of pleasure only fueled his eagerness as he moved back and forth with intensity. Their heavy breaths mingled together, igniting a fiercer passion within each other.
CLANG!!!
Their wild movements knocked over the lamp on the bedside table. The orange light turned on and lit up the room.
Still struggling to catch his breath, Joe Smith looked at Mia White with a mocking gaze.
“I can’t believe you’re this desperate. Drugging me just to get me to touch you? Well, are you satisfied now?”
With a smirk, he changed his angle and continued with his hard thrusts, taking her pleasure to new heights.
A single tear slipped down her cheek as she struggled to speak, “I didn’t…”
His eyes darkened upon seeing her cry, pushing him to move even faster, and with a few more thrusts they both reached climax.
Letting out a low growl, Joe released Mia, still shaking from aftershocks, lost in a daze. He headed towards the bathroom, leaving her to lie motionless on the bed. It took her some time to gather her strength and slowly dress herself.
Her gaze fell upon the nightstand drawer, and she bit her lip.
Three years ago, when the White Group was facing a financial crisis, her parents drugged her and sent her to Joe’s bed to secure an alliance with the Smith family.
Joe believed that it was all Mia’s scheme to get closer to him, and despised her from the start. And more than that, he never loved her because he treasured someone else.
Wendy Swan.
Wendy had saved his life. He was incredibly grateful, and wanted to marry her. But due to certain family obligations and business contracts, he was forced to marry Mia instead.
Despite his hatred, Mia cared and loved him in every way, even though the high society of Atlanta all mocked and looked down on her for it.
But she didn’t care about their opinions. She never complained once, continuing to tolerate everything Joe did that proved how much he hated her.
But today, she decided… she couldn’t take it anymore.
She was pregnant.
Joe and Mia had made a deal not to have children. Or more accurately, Joe didn’t want her to have his child.
She took out the papers from the bedside table drawer.
Joe emerged from his bath, a deep scowl on his face. He tossed a small box of pills Mia.
“Take it.”
Mia read the label on the box, “emergency contraceptive,” and felt a wave of disappointment wash over her.
Her hesitation irritated him, and he scoffed, “We’ll not have kids. Mia. Quit dreaming.”
Mia threw the pills aside, her expression devoid of emotion.
“I don’t need them. I won’t get pregnant this time. And… I have something to tell you.”
Tear streaks were still visible on her face, shimmering under the light.
Despite his coldness to her, Joe couldn’t deny the pang in his chest, seeing her tears.
But he pushed the strange feeling aside. “Go ahead. How much do you want this time?”
“I’m tired. I want a divorce.”
Joe’s eyes widened in disbelief. Anxiety washed over him, and he clenched his fists tight. “So now you’re playing hard to get, huh? How much does your family want this time?”
Wordlessly, Mia pushed the document towards him, the two-centimeter scar on her slender arm standing out. Her expression remained terrifyingly calm.
Joe nonchalantly picked up the document, “The White family finally realized you’re useless. They must be planning to exchange you for money…”
Right away, the words “Divorce Agreement” came into his view.
Joe’s eyes narrowed, tossing the divorce agreement onto the table.
He lit a cigarette and blew smoke toward Mia’s face, staring at her through the haze. “You’ve taken your little game too far,” he sneered.
It didn’t make sense to him that she would settle for just a clean split and nothing else. He thought this agreement was just a game to threaten him. He knew Mia loved him. She would never leave him. Plus, her family’s company would never let her go through with a divorce.
Mia clenched the blanket next to her, locking eyes with Joe. She spoke slowly and firmly,
“I only want a divorce. I’m not plotting anything. I’ve given back everything I owe you.”
‘I don’t love you anymore…’
Her words were a mixture of sadness and determination. She didn’t explicitly say it, but Joe somehow knew the hidden meaning underneath.
It was… affecting him. More than he’d care to admit.
Something was wrong.
He took a step forward, pinning her with his intense gaze. He lifted her chin with his fingers, blowing smoke in her face, making her turn away and cough.
He smirked and grabbed a pen from the table. “You really think I won’t sign it?”
She coughed, tears welling up in her eyes, but she quietly watched him sign his name.
“You better not regret this.”
He wasn’t going to let her have her way.
After it was signed, he tossed the divorce agreement to the floor. Then he pulled a card from his wallet and threw it at Mia.
“Consider this compensation for your…” He paused, his frown deepening. “…hardships this past year.”
With that, he slammed the door and left. He rarely spent the night here.
The bedroom fell into complete silence.
Mia clutched the card with trembling hands, her eyes turning red.
She bit her lip, tears streaming down her pale face.
The pain in her heart was unbearable.
She touched her belly, curling up on the bed, and sobbed till her throat hurt.
A while later, she gathered her strength, packed a few clothes, and booked a flight to Farmland for the next day.
She had loved Joe for three years. Sometimes hated him.
But now, it was all over.
***
That night, Joe stayed in an apartment near his company. The next day, he drove to Sun House after finishing work.
Today was the day he and Mia were supposed to visit Joe’s grandpa, Sir Smith. However, when he arrived at the Sun House, he couldn’t find her anywhere.
He asked the maid, “Where’s Mrs. Smith?”
She hesitated, looking at Joe cautiously before answering, “Mrs. Smith hasn’t arrived yet. Should I call her?”
“No need.” He dismissed her, then walked into the house. He paid no mind to Mia’s absence, assuming she would show up eventually.
After retiring from the Smith Group, Sir Smith fell in love with gardening. When Joe walked in, he was watering the plants in the yard.
When saw Joe, Sir Smith glanced behind him and his face suddenly darkened. “Where’s Mia?”
“I don’t know,” Joe answered nonchalantly, “But she was with me at the apartment last night.”
Joe had already pushed the divorce agreement out of his mind.
“You Idiot!” Sir Smith scolded.
In Sir Smith’s eyes, he knew that it had to be his idiot grandson’s fault that Mia, who usually arrived early with bundles of carefully prepared gifts, hadn’t appeared.
Not wanting to scold his grandson in front of others, he ordered sternly, “Come with me.”
Then the two of them entered the study together.
“So you’re the reason for that scandal?” Sir Smith looked at Joe with a gloomy expression.
Confused, Joe asked, “What scandal?”
Sir Smith tossed his phone at Joe and snapped, “Take a good look!”
Joe took the phone.
He saw a trending headline that read:
[Golden Award-winning Actress, Wendy Swan’s Mysterious Boyfriend Revealed, and It’s Him!]
The photo that came with the news showed Joe and Wendy dining together a few days ago. The paparazzi managed to capture them at an angle that made it seem like they were kissing passionately. But in fact, Joe had only been helping her keep her balance.
Joe tried to explain, “This is nonsense.”
“Have someone delete this Twitter post as soon as possible,” Sir Smith demanded, “This scandal damages Mia and the White family’s reputation. What will people say about her?”
His face darkened as he asked, “What does it have to do with her?”
“I know what you’re thinking! Don’t try to fool me again!”
Grabbing the teacup in his hand, Sir Smith threw it at Joe.
Joe dodged the cup, and it shattered into pieces on the floor.
Sir Smith growled, “Wendy Swan will never marry into the Smith family! Over my dead body! Don’t be as ungrateful as your father!”
At the mention of his father, Joe’s stoic expression finally dropped, his eyes going down to the floor. He muttered, “I won’t.”
Sir Smith’s face softened slightly. After discussing other matters, Joe left the study.
He called his assistant, Jack, and instructed, “Take down the post on Twitter.”
Then he drove back to the villa.
As he entered, he saw a woman in a white dress with her back to him.
‘Hm… Must be Mia. Sure enough, what she said was just to threaten me and get me back to her.’
Joe cleared his throat, put on a faint smile, and then sarcastically remarked, “Thought you said you were leaving. Couldn’t resist coming back?”
The next second, the woman turned around.
It wasn’t Mia.
With her face beaming with joy, she walked towards him, exclaiming, “Joe!”
“What are you doing here?” Joe’ eyes widened in puzzlement.
Joe wasn’t expecting Wendy to be at his home.
And more than that… she was wearing Mia’s dress.
The white strapless dress didn’t fit Wendy’s curvy figure, and her breasts were spilling out the top. But she hugged Joe as if she didn’t notice it at all.
“What’s the matter? Aren’t you happy to see me?” Wendy asked flirtatiously. She placed her fingers on the back of Joe’s neck and caressed his skin.
Joe pushed her away, frowning. “Who let you in? And why are you wearing Mia’s clothes?”
Wendy’s smile faltered for a moment. But she quickly composed herself and played coy.
“The maid Emma let me in. I accidentally spilled coffee on myself when I got here. I’m just borrowing one of Mia’s dresses. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind, right?”
“Where is Mia?”
Back when Joe accidentally brought Wendy’s lipsticks back home, Mia was furious and even told Sir Smith about it. So, Joe found it hard to believe that Mia would lend her dress to Wendy.
“How should I know? She wasn’t here when I arrived,” Wendy replied.
Her eyes lowered slightly as she continued to move closer to Joe and lean in to kiss him.
An image of Mia wearing the same dress flashed in Joe’s mind, and he avoided Wendy’s hand.
“Joe?”
“Don’t wear her clothes anymore,” Joe spat, “They don’t suit you.”
Wendy wanted to say something else, but he cut her off, “You should go home now. I’ll see you tonight at the Mystery Club.”
Wendy was surprised that Joe would remain indifferent even when she seduced him that way.
But realizing that she had to maintain the “good girl” image in front of him, Wendy had no choice but to nod and comply. Before leaving, she made sure Joe saw the heart-shaped birthmark on her arm.
Joe immediately softened his expression.
Seeing that, Wendy turned to leave, hiding her smirk.
The strong scent of Wendy’s perfume filled the villa, overpowering the air. Joe’s face slightly darkened as he headed upstairs.
In the master bedroom, the bed covers were messy, and he didn’t see the divorce agreement he had carelessly thrown on the floor yesterday. Joe glanced around casually, scoffed, and went into the dressing room.
He noticed that the wardrobe was packed full. Mia’s clothes were still there. Wendy had just taken one of her dresses.
He felt smug, believing that Mia was just bluffing when she proposed a divorce.
Joe left the master bedroom after changing his clothes.
He left in such a hurry that he didn’t notice the bank card and divorce papers that had fallen to the floor.
***
At the Mystery Club
Under the colorful lights, Joe lounged on a sofa, surrounded by blasting music. Wendy, dressed in a fiery red and revealing dress, leaned against him. And she accepted all the compliments of those around them.
They were playing a game of Spin the Bottle. Someone spun a bottle on the table, and it ended up pointing at Joe.
Joe’s acquaintance John grinned mischievously. He was ready to tease Joe, but one look in his eyes was warning enough.
John shuddered and opted for a safer question. “Joe… How did you meet Wendy?”
Wendy gazed at him. Joe picked up a glass of beer and drained it. He then replied with tenderness in his eyes, “Wendy saved my life.”
“She did?!”
Everyone was shocked, except Wendy, who was smiling as she gently leaned against Joe.
Twenty years ago, Joe and a little girl were kidnapped.
They kept each other company for a few days until Joe found a chance to escape, leaving the little girl behind. Before escaping, he promised her that he would come back and rescue her.
However, things didn’t go as planned. By the time he came back with a rescue team, the girl had disappeared, and the kidnappers were gone.
All he remembered was the heart-shaped birthmark on her arm.
In those dark days, Joe didn’t lose hope because of that girl. From then on, he kept looking for her until he stumbled upon Wendy singing at a bar. The heart-shaped birthmark on her arm reminded him of the girl.
Joe was already engaged to Mia at that time. But he married Mia in the end.
Thinking of Mia, Joe’s face darkened again.
Suddenly, his other acquaintance Lucas cursed, holding his phone in his hand.
“What’s going on?” John asked.
“My friend ran into Miss White at the airport.”
“Who?” Joe was puzzled, frowning.
“Mia White.”
Hearing that, Joe’s face turned even grimmer. He asked, “What is she doing at the airport?”
John and Lucas exchanged glances, wondering how they could possibly know about it.
Joe’s phone suddenly rang.
The moment he answered the call, he heard Sir Smith shouting angrily, “Idiot! You’re planning to divorce Mia? Are you kidding me?!”
His rage erupted through the phone, and everyone could hear. Joe stood up and walked to the door.
Behind him, Wendy tightly clenched her palm, resentment in her eyes.
Joe walked to a quiet place and explained to his grandfather, “Mia is just throwing a tantrum. Ignore her, she’ll calm down in a few days.”
“Then why is she at the airport? Did you drive her away so that you can marry that woman? I told you… As long as I’m alive, Wendy will never ever marry into the Smith family! Never!”
Joe furrowed his brow. “Did she really go to the airport?”
Just the thought that Mia was actually planning to leave him… it put a deeply unpleasant feeling in his chest. And it annoyed him how much she affected him.
Sir Smith sighed. “My people saw her at the airport. Go get her back! Mia’s a good girl. If you let her go, you’ll regret it.”
And then, he hung up without waiting for Joe to reply.
When Joe returned to the private room, he looked incredibly gloomy.
“You guys carry on. I’ll leave first.”
“Joe, where are you going?” Wendy asked. She looked perplexed as Joe confidently walked away without looking back.
Joe called Mia several times but couldn’t reach her. Not knowing if she had turned off her phone or blocked him, he had no choice but to call Jack to find out where she was.
Joe, consumed by anger, raced back to his villa and confronted Emma angrily, “Where is Mrs. Smith?”
Emma stuttered, “I…I don’t know. But Mr. Smith, I found something in the room…”
Before she could finish, Joe rushed upstairs. And, as expected, Mia was nowhere to be found there.
In the past, no matter how late he came home, Mia would always be waiting for him in the bedroom. Even if he was upset, she would always greet him with a gentle smile.
Frustrated, Joe yanked off his tie and scanned the room. It had been tidied up, and the bed looked perfectly untouched, like she had never even slept there. The wardrobe in the dressing room was still full. But upon closer inspection, Joe noticed that some of Mia’s casual clothes were missing.
Joe’s face darkened instantly. When Mia married him and moved in, she only brought two suitcases of belongings. And Joe bought the rest of the clothes in the wardrobe for her.
But she didn’t take any of the clothes he bought . She only took away her own things.
Joe’s gaze shifted to the nightstand where he saw a bank card—the one he had given to Mia the night before. As he picked it up, he quickly discovered the divorce agreement hidden underneath.
It was the divorce agreement they had signed together. Anxiety started to spread within him, and Sir Smith’s words echoed in his mind, “You’ll regret it…”
It couldn’t be true. He knew how infatuated Mia was with him. She wouldn’t leave him. This was just another game she was playing to try and make him give in.
Joe lit a cigarette, filling the room with smoke as he called Jack, “Have you found her?”
“Our people saw Mrs. Smith at the airport, but…”
“Just bring her back!”
He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anxiety. It had been a long time since he had felt this overwhelming mix of surprise and anger; not since his parents’ incident. He couldn’t understand why…
“But Mrs. Smith has already boarded the plane and taken off.”
Looking at the divorce agreement in his hand, Joe looked incredibly gloomy.
“Send people to intercept her when the plane lands! Bring her back to me at all costs!”
With that, Joe angrily threw his phone at the wall, shattering it to pieces.
“So you finally got away, huh Mia? You’d better hide well and don’t let me ever catch you!”
Mia had indeed bought a ticket to Farmland. However, Joe’s men couldn’t find her at the airport she was supposed to arrive at, and there was no evidence of her traveling to other countries.
Joe and Jack continued searching for her for two months, but they had no luck.
Mia White vanished out of nowhere…
*Five years later, at the airport in Atlanta*
The special assistant of Horizon Group, Frank Wilson, waited anxiously outside the airport. He kept his eyes fixed on the exit. Finally, a woman appeared, and he sighed in relief.
He quickly approached her and greeted her politely. “Welcome, Miss Clinton.”
The woman was dressed in a tight red dress that showed off her lovely curves. She slowly took off her sunglasses, revealing her bright eyes.
“Hi, Frank. We finally met.” Mia greeted him with a warm smile.
Mia had changed a lot in the past five years. No one could possibly recognize that this was the former submissive, well-behaved, and obedient daughter of the white family.
Although Frank had seen Mia countless times on a computer screen, he was still captivated by her beauty when he met her in person. He hurriedly took her luggage. “Would you like to go to the hotel first or head straight to the company?”
“Let’s go to the company first.”
Frank nodded and took Mia to the Horizon Group office.
Despite being founded just two years ago, Horizon Group has become a powerful company. It was quickly catching up to the Four Major Family Corporations and even earned the respect of their leaders.
However, Horizon Group’s leader was a mystery, known only to the executives.
Frank led Mia upstairs. The receptionist at the front desk noted how attentive he was to a mysterious woman. She couldn’t help but wonder who she was, because Frank was usually distant.
Minutes later, Mia reached the top floor of the building. Looking down at the familiar sights of Atlanta, a twinge of emotion welled up inside her.
She quickly composed herself and asked Frank, “Isn’t tomorrow Sir Smith’s birthday?”
“Yes! Are you planning to go?”
At the mention of the Smith family, Mia’s eyes flickered with unreadable emotions, but she soon returned to her normal self and smiled sweetly
“We have a project in collaboration with the Smith family, don’t we? Of course, I have to go.”
Before Frank left the office Mia asked him, “I don’t have a suitable dress. Have someone send some over.”
After he left, Mia’s phone rang.
Mia answered the video call and saw two adorable children on the screen.
“Mommy!” They exclaimed.
Seeing her kids’ chubby faces, Mia felt her anxiety melt away.
“Have you two been good?” Mia asked softly.
“Yes!” The little boy answered sweetly.
The girl next to him whispered, “Grandpa took us horse riding today.”
“Horse riding?” Mia raised an eyebrow, “Then you need to behave for Grandpa. Mommy will be back soon.”
The children nodded and chatted for a while before ending the call.
The moment the call ended, Mia’s gentle smile disappeared, replaced by her sharp business persona. She made a few phone calls, seriously asking her subordinates about the progress of the project in preparation for the upcoming project.
***
At night, Sun House was brightly lit.
Inside the hall, big shots from Atlanta gathered, chatting lively.
These people would be the center of attention outside, but the Smith family managed to invite them all to the party.
Joe stood in the second-floor hallway, observing the people below with a detached expression.
His handsome face had matured over the past five years, radiating wisdom and depth. His well-tailored ash suit emphasized his tall stature, attracting admiring glances from the ladies present.
Joe ignored their stares, glancing back at his assistant, Jack.
Jack adjusted his glasses and spoke rapidly, “We heard that the CEO of Horizon Group has returned to the country today. They should be here for Sir Smith’s birthday celebration.”
The Smiths and Horizon Group had reached an agreement two months ago to collaborate on a major project. The CEO of Horizon returned at this point to negotiate with the Smiths in person.
Joe replied, “Once they arrive, politely escort them to the second floor later.”
Jack rogered that. He continued, “Miss Swan is also almost here, and… ”
Instantly, he stopped talking. He catched the change in Joe’s expression.
“Sir?”
Joe’s jawline tightened, and his intense gaze fell on the entrance.
Following his gaze, Jack was shocked to see the woman who just walked through the door. A woman that they thought they’d never see again.
“It’s…” Jack murmured. “It’s her…”
Mia stood at the entrance, wearing a simple black strapless gown with a deep open back that exposed her delicate skin.
She was like a fairy in the mortal world, utterly unaware of her own magnetism to those around her. More than half the room’s eyes were instantly drawn to her.
She walked confidently into the hall, her eyes flashing a hint of scorn at the extravagance before her.
It had been five years since she was last here…
Her appearance caught the attention of everyone in the room, even the ones who were looking for Wendy. They quickly moved their attention to her.
“Wow! Isn’t that Miss White, the woman who left town? Couldn’t make it on your own and decided to come back?” A flamboyantly dressed Internet celebrity, Amy, blocked Mia’s path.
Mia raised an eyebrow, scanning the woman up and down. “Who are you?” She asked.
Amy glared at her angrily. “Don’t pretend to be someone else! Everyone knows that you were obsessed with Mr. Smith, only to end up divorcing and leaving the country in disgrace! Now you’re back here planning to latch onto him again, aren’t you?”
Mia was unfazed by her words, long immune to being slandered. But not far away, Joe’s face darkened at the sight.
‘Mia, It’s been five years… How dare you disappear for so long…’
“Mr. Smith…” Jack glanced at his boss worriedly.
When Mia disappeared five years ago, Joe spared no expense to find her, but to no avail.
The usually stoic Mr. Smith was furious for the first time, and his mood was foul for the following six months.
Everyone at Smith Group worked on pins and needles, fearing they might be fired on the spot for the slightest mistake.
But after all, it had been years. Jack wondered if his boss still cared…
He watched Joe’s expression nervously.
Joe glanced at Jack, his face unreadable.
Jack understood tacitly and immediately suggested, “Since our guests have arrived, shall we go downstairs to welcome them?”
“Hmm.” Joe sneered and strode downstairs.
Frank was about to walk over when he saw Amy confront Mia, but she held her hand up to stop him.
Upon Mia’s instruction, Frank deliberately kept his distance. Thinking of the way Mia usually sternly reprimanded her subordinates, Frank silently prayed for this woman who dared to provoke Mia.
Mia smirked sarcastically. “You might want to save your fawning for Wendy. Maybe she’d be more willing to hear your hard sell, Miss… I’m sorry, what was your name again?”
“You b*tch!”
Amy’s face twisted in anger as she heard laughter from the crowd.
Just as she was about to lash out, a deep male voice cut through the noise.
“Mia White.”
Hearing the voice, Mia slightly stiffened, but she quickly mustered a polite smile.
She looked over at the man who was striding toward her with his icy cold face and greeted him calmly.
“Hello, Mr. Smith. It’s been a while.”
Joe practically sprinted over to Mia. He didn’t stop until he was very close to her, almost face-to-face. He looked down at the face that had appeared repeatedly in his dreams over the past few years.
She was back.
She’d changed.
She was once gentle and dignified, her eyes shining bright with love when looked at him. But now, she was more like a dark and mysterious rose – tempting, thorny, and beautiful.
And no more love and light in her eyes.
Joe couldn’t quite grasp his feelings: anger, shock, and perhaps even a slight joy he couldn’t detect himself.
Rage swirled in Joe’s eyes as he took a step forward，
“How dare you show up again?”
🌟 Continue the story here
👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app
🔍 search for “397458”, and watch the full series ✨!
#MyFiction #Divorce #Pregnancy #SecretBaby #Twins #KickAssHeroines #Misunderstanding #BillionaireBillionairess #protective #Marriage
Ella
“I’m sorry Ella.” My physician says gently. “I’m afraid you have very few viable eggs remaining. If you want to conceive, you need to do so before your next cycle begins.”
“My next cycle?” I repeat, my mouth hanging open in shock. I love kids more than anything, I want nothing more than to be a mother.
I make it home in record time, bursting through the door and opening my mouth to call for Mike, but stopping dead in my tracks. As soon as I walk inside I see a pair of high heels and a handbag by the door.
I know that handbag, and I know those shoes – they belong to my best friend, Kate.
I cock my ears towards the bedroom, and my stomach churns when I hear the unmistakable sound of moaning, accompanied by a steady thump thump thump, as the bed collides with the wall.
“Fuck, Ella is so stupid.” Mike laughs, “can you believe she actually expects me to have a baby with her?”
Kate snorts, “she’s delusional. I don’t know how you put up with her for so long in the first place.”
“If she wasn’t so beautiful I never would have given her the time of day.” Mike scoffs. “Thankfully daily doses of plan B kept her from ever conceiving.”
“The morning after pill?” Kate asks, “how did you manage to give it to her without her realizing?”
“I put it in her morning coffee.” Mike chortles, sounding far too proud of himself.
My vision goes completely red as everything finally falls into place. Suddenly it’s clear why I’ve never been able to get pregnant.
I pull the smoke alarm on the wall.
Water immediately sprays down from the sprinkler system mounted to the ceiling as a shrill siren fills the air, and I hear Mike and Kate cry out in surprise.
But, I wasn’t in the mood to admire their woeful appearance.
I can’t afford to waste another moment on Mike, I have more important things to take care of.
I make my excuses and rush across town for the second time that afternoon, running to the comforting arms of my surrogate sister, Cora.
Not only did we grow up together in the orphanage, but she became an OBGYN and now works for the most exclusive sperm bank in the city.
I’ve never gone to her before because I always imagined Mike and I would eventually conceive the natural way, but that clearly isn’t an option anymore.
When I arrive, all my plans to lay out my situation for Cora clearly and concisely go out the window, because the moment I see my sister I fall to pieces. She hugs and kisses me until my tears subside, slowly extracting the story from me piece by piece.
When she hears about Mike and Kate she swears up a storm, but that’s nothing compared to her reaction when I explain about my fertility.
“Ella, if your doctor was right this means you only have one chance to conceive.”
“I know.” I sniffle. “And if this is going to be my only baby, I don’t want to take any chances. I want the best donor we can find.”
“Don’t you worry about that.” Cora assures me, “We’ve got donations from actors, models, scientists – it’s only the creme de la creme here.” She glances at the door and lowers her voice. “You didn’t hear it from me, but even Dominic Sinclair sent his samples here for testing.”
“Dominic Sinclair? I repeat, “the billionaire?” I’ve seen the man around town, but we don’t exactly run in the same circles.
He lives in the same neighborhood as my wealthy employer and often says hello to the children I nanny, but he’s always surrounded by bodyguards and is so intimidating I get goosebumps just thinking about him.
“Oh my god!.” Cora slaps her hand over her mouth. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you that! I don’t know what I was thinking. Apparently he’s no stranger to fertility issues himself, and he trusted us to handle his swimmers over every other lab in the country. I’ve got his sperm in the other room at this very moment.” She frets, “But Ella you can’t tell anyone, you have to promise me.”
“Of course!” I agree immediately. “I know how important confidentiality is here.”
“Thank you,” Cora breathes. “Now, I’m going to give you a dossier of our clients so you can pick a donor, and once you’ve chosen we’ll get you knocked up before you can even blink.”
It’s not an easy decision, but eventually I choose a handsome surgeon whose photo practically makes me swoon.
Cora leaves the room only long enough to prepare the sample, and though she looks a bit flustered when she returns, she quickly and professionally completes the insemination, holding my hand when the procedure is finished. “It’s all take care of now, Ella.” She promises, “You can come back in ten days to see if it worked.”
Ten days. I think dazedly. Ten days to decide my entire future.
I’ve thought about nothing else since Cora inseminated me last week, I’m so anxious to find out if I’m pregnant I haven’t even begun to process Mike’s betrayal.
I’m trying to keep a level head, yet I can’t help but imagine my future with this new baby. Try as I might, I catch myself daydreaming about it constantly. I even find myself humming as I get ready for work in the morning.
When I arrive at my employer’s estate in the most exclusive neighborhood in Moon Valley – which basically makes it the most exclusive neighborhood in the world, since Moon Valley is one of the most expensive cities on the planet – I’m immediately greeted by two little voices shouting my name in excitement. “Ella!”
Ella
3-year-old Millie is hugging my legs while her older brother, Jake, wraps his arms around my middle. “Good morning love puddles!” I exclaim, returning their hugs. “Are you ready for the museum?”
“Yeah!” They cheer, racing out the door without even stopping to put on coats. It takes a bit of wrangling to get them back inside and bundled up for the cold winter day, but before long we set out into the snow.
Jake races ahead of Millie and I, impatient to get to the science museum and not seeming to notice that his sister’s tiny legs simply don’t move that fast. Chuckling, I lift Millie into my arms and settle her on my hip. “Goodness, you’re getting too big for this, munchkin.”
“Nuh-uh,” Millie grins, “You’re justs too little.”
She might have a point. At five foot one, I don’t exactly have the kind of build suited to heavy lifting. I’m in great shape, but I’ve never been particularly strong. “Smarty pants.” I tease, laughing with the little girl.
When I look back towards Jake, I realize he’s stopped a few feet ahead of us. My heart skips a beat when I realize why. We’re in front of the Sinclair mansion, and its owner is currently standing in the middle of the sidewalk, his gaze searing me like a firebrand as I approach with Millie. Dominic Sinclair is just about the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, but he’s also one of the most terrifying.
Taking a steadying breath, I close the distance between us so Millie can say hello. When she greets him, Dominic drags his attention from me and offers her a smile so genuine that it tugs at my heartstrings. As I watch him talk to my two young charges, I remember what Cora told me about his infertility struggles. He clearly loves children, and I feel a wave of empathy for him. If anyone knows what it’s like to yearn for a family of their own, it’s me.
Jake is currently showing Dominic his new toy airplane, pulling the matchbox model from his pocket and demonstrating how far it can fly. With a great heave, he sends the toy gliding through the air, only to land in the middle of the street. Before any of us can say a word, Jake races after it, right into the busy road.
“Jake no, be careful!” I cry, watching him dart out into the path of an oncoming car but feeling frozen by my fear. Before I can contemplate putting Millie down to go after him, a blur of movement whirrs past my vision. I’ve never seen anyone move so fast in my life.
Dominic became little more than a hazy outline of himself, chasing after Jake and pulling him out of the way just before the car slams into them. The vehicle’s tires are still screeching when Dominic sets Jake down beside me, his expression suddenly very stern.
“That was very dangerous.” He scolds gently. “You should never go into the street without looking both ways first.”
Jake hangs his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want my plane to get runned over.”
“You are a million times more important than a toy.” Dominic tells him firmly, “and you scared your nanny half to death.”
“I’m sorry, Ella.” Jake sniffles, looking up at me with wide eyes.
“I know sweetheart, just don’t ever do that again.” I breathe, cuddling him against my side. “Thank you so much.” I say to Dominic, feeling more grateful than I can express. “I have no idea how you moved so fast! It was like something out of a superhero film.”
“Must have been the adrenaline.” Dominic shrugs, giving Millie another smile before taking his leave. “Enjoy the rest of your day, and stay out of the road young man!”
“Yes sir!” Jake calls after him, pocketing his airplane. “I really am sorry.” He adds to me.
“It’s forgotten.” I tell him softly, though I take his hand so that he can’t run off again.
“It all happened so fast.” I tell Cora later that night. “I mean the more I think about it, the more amazing it seems. One moment he was there, and the next he was gone. It was like magic.”
“Thank goodness Jake is alright.” She replies, but rather than looking relieved, her face is twisted into a deep grimace.
Studying my sister’s expression, I realize her grim demeanor is not just about Jake’s near miss. Something else is wrong, and I actually feel guilty for not noticing sooner. “Is everything okay?”
Cora frowns, “Not really. But you’ve got so much going on right now, it’s not important.”
“Cora, don’t be ridiculous.” I admonish. “What’s going on?”
“Well, speaking of Dominic Sinclair,” She begins cryptically, “you know that sperm he sent to us for testing?”
“Yeah,” I confirm, wondering where on earth this was going.
“It’s gone missing… and I’m the last person who saw it, not to mention it was in my custody.” She explains, her voice becoming thick with emotion. “Ella, I think… I think I’m going to be fired. And if there’s an investigation I could lose my medical license.”
Ella
A week ago I might have believed there was no hope for Cora, but seeing how kind and understanding Dominic was with the kids today makes me wonder if he could really be so heartless.
I have to try and help her, I would do anything for my sister – even begging a ruthless billionaire for mercy.
I repeat these words to myself as I walk down the street, still preoccupied with my possible pregnancy, even as I prepare to go to bat for my sister.
His bodyguards see me first, and I can see their mouths moving as they watch me move closer, no doubt notifying him of my presence.
“Mr. Sinclair?” I ask hesitantly, feeling my heart pound violently against my ribcage.
He turns around and gazes imperiously down at me. “Yes?”
“I’m Ella Reina, I nanny for Jake and Millie Graves.” I begin, gnawing on my lower lip.
His dark eyes catch on my mouth, and suddenly I feel like a frightened rabbit in front of a hungry wolf. “I know who you are, Ella.”
“Oh… well, I don’t mean to be impertinent, but I’m friends with Dr Cora Daniels…”As soon as I say her name, his expression closes off, and some unidentified emotion flashes in his eyes.
“She told me she’s in trouble at work, and I know you’re one of the bank’s donors.” I improvise. “I don’t know what Cora is being accused of, but I’m sure she’s innocent. She takes her job incredibly seriously, and she would never do anything to risk her career.”
“And what do you expect me to do about it?” Dominic asks ominously. I can tell he doesn’t believe my weak story, his body language has changed completely, and I can feel his rising anger vibrating in the air around us.
“I just thought… I hoped that if you had any sway there, you might be able to put in a good word for her.” I finish, feeling color flood my cheeks. I’m both ashamed of myself for such a feeble attempt, but unsure how else to handle such a delicate topic. The last thing I want is to get Cora in even more trouble than before.
Dominic’s jaw ticks as he watches me, and the voice in the back of my head urges me to run for it. “From what I’ve heard, your friend made a very serious mistake, and the consequences have been more than appropriate. The best thing she can do now is take responsibility for her mistakes, not sending you to do her dirty work for her.”
“I – she didn’t, she doesn’t even know I’m here! I swear.” I plead.
“I’ve said all I’m going to say on this matter.” Dominic declares, turning away from me and striding into his house.
The door slams shut behind him, and I’m left with his various bodyguards.
“Please, she’s innocent.” I beg, “you have to –” before I can say anything more, the men grab me by the arms and begin trying to lead me off the property. Feeling truly desperate, I dig in my heels, deciding that my dignity is worth Cora’s entire future. “I’m begging you, if I could just talk to Mr. Sinclair.”
“You’ve already talked to him.” The first guard grumbles, “and frankly you’re lucky he was as generous to you as he was. Your friend clearly told you things she shouldn’t.”
The next thing I know, they’ve thrown me off the property and onto the sidewalk so forcefully that I lose my balance, tumbling to the ground as tears spark in my eyes. The iron gates slam shut behind me, and I have no choice but to slink off before I can embarrass myself further.
Of course, this was only the beginning of my misfortune. When I arrived at work the next day, I found that my keys no longer fit the locks on the front door. I knocked, overwhelmed with confusion, and a few minutes later the door swung open to reveal Jake and Millie’s furious mother.
“My keys aren’t working.” I tell her, wondering why she’s glaring at me so fiercely.
“They’re not meant to.” She answers coldly, “as of yesterday afternoon, your services were no longer required.”
“I… you’re firing me?” I squeak, not believing my ears. “Why?”
“We got a call from the neighbors.” She explains haughtily, “apparently you let Jake run into the road the other day where he was almost hit by a car! And then yesterday you were seen making a fool of yourself at Dominic Sinclair’s home – they said his bodyguards had to drag you off the grounds like a common criminal.”
“That isn’t fair, that isn’t what happened!” I plead. “Jake through his toy into the road and ran after it, I didn’t let it happen, and what happened with Mr. Sinclair was a misunderstanding.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” She hisses. “Now leave before I call the police.”
“Please, can’t I at least say goodbye to the kids?” I request, praying she’ll grant me this one kindness.
“I’m dialing.” She tells me simply, pulling her cell phone from her pocket.
“No!” I raise my palms in supplication, “It’s okay, I’ll go.”
I know Dominic Sinclair is responsible for this. I don’t believe my ex-boss’s story about the neighbors for one moment. He clearly wanted to punish me, just like he’s having Cora punished.
I spent all my money on the insemination, and without a job I have almost nothing. How am I ever going to afford to have a baby now? I guarantee I’m not going to get a good reference from Jake and Millie’s mother.
As if things weren’t already bad enough, when I return home I find a stack of bills in the mailbox and I don’t even recognize half the senders. I open them one by one, feeling my confusion and disbelief grow by the minute.
As I look at the stores on the breakdown of charges, my suspicion grows: they’re all Mike’s favorite places. Is it possible he did this behind my back? That he’s been hiding the bills from me for months… or years?
I have to call Kate. My former best friend might have betrayed me completely with her affair, but if anyone knows what Mike has been up to, it’s her.
My hands are shaking as I dial Kate’s number. Have I ever been this angry? If I have I certainly can’t remember it now.
“Hello?” Kate answers almost immediately, using a sickly sweet tone that screams of fakeness.
“Kate?” I state bluntly. “Are you with Mike right now?”
There’s a pregnant pause on the other end of the line, before she weakly responds, “What? Of course not.”
“Come off it Kate, do you really think I don’t know about your shit?” I demand. “I’m not a complete idiot.”
“Ella listen–” She begins, obviously gearing up to give me some sort of excuse.
“No, I don’t even care about your little affair anymore – but I need to talk to him right now.” I declare fiercely.
There’s another pause, and then Kate’s voice drops its innocent tone. “You don’t care?” She repeats, sounding truly shocked. “ You know I’m already pregnant?”
Ella
“Does he know you’re pregnant?” I ask sharply, “because a man who’s so afraid of responsibility that he’d poison me for years is probably willing to do it to anyone.”
“Of course he does!” She objects, “He just didn’t tell you about it because he didn’t want you to bleed him dry. He’s a stock broker.”
“Oh Kate,” I sigh, “Poor, gullible, stupid Kate. He’s as much a stock broker as I am a wizard.”
“Don’t talk to me like that! He’s got money, he lavishes it on me all the time!” She insists.
“With fraudulent credit cards he took out in my name!” I shout, losing my temper completely.
“What?” She squeaks.
“That’s right. I’ve only just found out – he’s completely bankrupted me. I’m calling the police and if I were you, I’d check your own credit rating immediately, because I’d be willing to be you’re next.” I snap.
“No,” she repeats weakly, “you’re wrong, it’s different with me.”
My voice is getting thick with emotion now, but I can’t help it. “And frankly I don’t really care what happens to you Kate, but if you’re really pregnant then your baby deserves better than to be raised in a homeless shelter, and that’s exactly where Mike will land you.”
I hang up before I start crying, not giving her a chance to respond.
I have to go to the police and see if I can resolve these financial issues… I can’t have a baby if I’m bankrupt, and I can only pray the police will help.
________________________
“I’m very sorry Miss. Reina, but if your ex-partner has left the area, there’s not much we can do about this.” The police officer breaks this news to me about as gently as he might smash an ant beneath his boot. “I’ll give you the police report to send to the credit card company, but that’s the most help you’re going to get from us.”
One by one they crush my hopes, telling me in no uncertain terms that unless a culprit is arrested in my case, I’ll be held responsible for the charges.
As I hang up on the final call, I can feel the earth crumbling beneath my feet. How did it come to this? I literally have nothing. No one will hire me without a recommendation from my previous employer, which means I won’t be able to pay rent or keep food on the table. Normally I might turn to Cora in such a time, but I can’t burden her with this when she’s in the same boat.
Tomorrow I’ll finally find out whether or not I’m pregnant, and up until now the strange sensation I’ve been experiencing the last few days has been a comfort and source of hope. I don’t know how to explain it: it’s as if I’m suddenly different somehow – even though I can’t see any changes, I just have this intense knowing that I’m no longer the same woman I was a week ago.
I thought it was a sign the insemination worked, but now I’m praying that it’s my imagination going overboard.
At first I try to distract myself, turning on the TV and freezing when I see Dominic Sinclair on the news talking about all his good will initiatives in the community. “When our work is finished, the Moon Valley children’s home will be a place of love and community, motivated to find the best homes for every child in need. Our initiative not only ensures that the permanent residents in the home have the best possible conditions, but that there is continuous follow up with children placed with adoptive families to ensure they thrive in their new homes.”
So much for the supposed philanthropist, I think bitterly. Turning a blind eye to the lives he’s selfishly ruining all the while pretending to be a friend of the downtrodden. A week ago I might have been touched by such a broadcast. I grew up in an orphanage just like the one he’s describing, and I know just how terrible the conditions can be. Now however, I see nothing but his hypocrisy. Cora was an orphan too, she didn’t do anything wrong – where is his compassion for her? Clearly it’s only for the TV cameras. It’s a shame. He’s very convincing… then again, so was Mike.
Shaking myself, I turn the TV off. What the hell is wrong with me? The man is a heartless billionaire and I’m still sitting here mooning over him like a silly schoolgirl.
I end up going to bed early, trying not to think about tomorrow. Of course, I still lie awake late into the night – I know what it means to grow up an orphan, and I can’t countenance bringing a child into the world just to abandon it to that bleak existence. The more my life unravels, the more stark my options become.
If I am pregnant… Am I going to abort the child? Even though it’s what I’ve wanted my entire life!
Ella
“No, I understand.” I murmur into the phone. “Thanks for listening at least.”
I wearily hang up the line, burying my head in my hands. I spent all morning calling in every favor and loan I possibly could, throwing my dignity right out the window to beg my friends and acquaintances in my time of need.
I’ve never thought of myself as a proud woman, but begging this way was more of a challenge than I could have imagined.
I only wish I could help Cora as well as myself. She’s still waiting to hear if she’ll be fired, and while she’s not supposed to be handling any samples, she got permission to do my tests this afternoon. After all, I’ve already been inseminated, so her supervisor didn’t see any risk of further negligence.
Still, I’m far from excited when I walk through the front doors of the sperm bank. Ten days ago I was heartsore but optimistic for the future, yearning for a baby more than anything else in the world. Now I’m dreading the exam.
However my trepidation soon gives way to surprise, because as soon as I enter the facility I have the strangest feeling that Dominic Sinclair is near. It takes me a while to actually find him, behind closed doors with Cora’s bosses in a luxurious, glass-walled conference room, but I don’t have the faintest idea how I knew he was present. I also don’t understand why I feel drawn to him: after all, he’s ruined both my sister’s and my own life. I shouldn’t be excited to see him.
It was dumb luck that I stumbled across his path, the conference room is on the way to Cora’s office, but I find myself stopping to observe the meeting inside. I’m struck speechless when I lay eyes on him. Is it possible that he’s gotten more attractive since the last time I saw him? It was already unfair that somebody that powerful and intelligent could be so handsome, but now it truly just feels like being kicked while I’m down. The bastard has a heart of stone, and still the universe has rained endless gifts upon him while people like Cora and I have nothing.
Shaking myself out of my trance, I continue down the hall, though I feel the weight of dark eyes on my back as I retreat. Cora has clearly been crying when I arrive. Her eyes are red and her cheeks splotchy, though she tries to hide it.
“Hey.” I greet her gently, wrapping her up in a hug. She leans into me, squeezing tight and lingering far longer than she usually would. “Is there any news?”
“Sinclair is in there finalizing it all now. I’m going to be given formal termination notice this afternoon.” She shares, sniffling slightly.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” I croon, rubbing her back.
“It’s okay.” She lies, pulling away. “How are you hanging in there?”
“Not very well.” I confess. “I’m sort of dreading this, to be honest.”
“It’s amazing how fast things can change, huh?” She asks, looking as though she might burst into tears. “I mean, what are we going to do, Elle?”
“Well figure it out.” I promise. “We’ve been in tight spots before.” I remind her, “remember the summer we slept in boxes on the street after we ran away from the orphanage?”
“Yeah,” She nods with a sad smile. “But it’s winter now, I don’t think we’ll last long in the elements. And you weren’t pregnant then.”
“Yeah well, if I’m pregnant now….” I can’t look her in the eyes as I say this, “I don’t think I’m going to stay that way.”
“What?” Cora exclaims, looking horrified. “But this is your only chance! And we aren’t completely hopeless, you’ve got time to try to figure out a plan B.”
That phrase alone reminds me of Mike, and I realize I haven’t shared my latest news with Cora. “I can’t afford a baby even if I do find a job. I’m going to be paying off my debts for years to come.” I share, filling her in on the details of Mike and Kate’s latest betrayal.
“I can’t believe this!” She bursts out when I’m finished. “It just isn’t fair, Ella! I mean, I thought we paid our dues, I thought we were done with suffering. After everything we’ve been through, we deserve a better future than this! You deserve to be a mom – no one loves children more than you do.”
“And you deserve to be a doctor.” I reply. “You worked so hard.”
“I still don’t think you should give up yet.” She frowns. “You can terminate the pregnancy up until the end of the first trimester. It would be a tragedy if you aborted it, then pulled off a miracle and it turned out you could have kept it. Don’t take that risk. Keep the baby until the very last moment.”
“I don’t think miracles happen to people like me.” I remark softly. “Besides that seems kind of like it’s own form of torture – the longer I carry the baby the more attached I’m going to get. I don’t want this to hurt any worse than it has to.”
“It’s going to hurt no matter what.” Cora reasons, “You ought to give yourself a chance – keep the door open. Don’t give up hope completely.”
“Let’s just find out if I have to make that decision in the first place.” I state, changing the subject. “I may not even be pregnant.” Yet even as I say it, I can feel in my heart that I am.
“Okay.” Cora agrees, pulling a sterile cup wrapped in plastic from one of her cabinets. “You know what to do.”
I take the cup and quickly duck into the bathroom to provide a urine sample, returning it to her almost immediately. I pace back and forth across the office as Cora runs the tests. “Well?” I press, seeing the results pop up on her computer screen.
She offers me a sad smile. “Congratulations little sister, you’re going to have a baby.”
I told myself that I wouldn’t fall to pieces no matter the results, but as soon as the words are out of her mouth I’m crying. I’ve been waiting to hear those words for years and was beginning to think I never would. It’s both unimaginable joy, and unimaginable pain. I never knew my heart could hold such conflicting emotions at the same time, let alone in such extremes. “Really?”
“Really.” Cora confirms, hugging me. “Come on, let’s do an ultrasound. You can hear the heartbeat.”
“Isn’t it too early?” I squeak.
“Just one of the benefits of being at the finest lab in the country.” Cora quips, the words bittersweet on her tongue. “Our technology is years ahead of what’s available in public hospitals.”
Climbing onto the raised exam table, I lay back and lift my top, not bothering to change into a gown or cover my clothes with a sheet, I simply expose my flat belly as Cora wheels in an ultrasound on a cart. Within minutes the machine is emitting a strange whoosh woosh woosh, and Cora squirts a dollop of jelly on my tummy. She pressed the wand to my skin, and before long a tiny heartbeat sounds – making me cry all over again.
However Cora is frowning deeply. “This is so strange, the baby seems awfully large, but we tested you at your last visit to be sure you weren’t already pregnant.”
“What does that mean?” I ask anxiously. “Is the father just a big guy?”
“I don’t just mean size – I mean development.” Cora purses her lips and furrows her brows as she studies the images, suddenly looking very worried. She’s whispering now, speaking to herself more than to me. “It doesn’t look human… but that can’t be… it’s not possible.”
“What are you talking about?” I inquire, “How can you tell? Isn’t it just a tiny blob?”
“As I said, our tech is state of the art. It doesn’t just highlight shapes – it analyzes the molecular structure.” Before she can say another word, the door bursts open, startling us both. To my shock and horror, Dominic Sinclair is standing in the doorframe, glaring at us as if we’ve done something terrible. “What’s the meaning of this?” He demands.
“What’s the meaning of this? I repeat in shock, “what’s the meaning of you barging into a private exam?!”
“Because,” He declares fiercely, and I swear his eyes are almost glowing with rage. “I can smell my pup.”
🌟 Continue the story here
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Moana
Finding work as a human in a world dominated by werewolves wasn’t easy.
Not to mention, my boyfriend Sam, he was just an Omega.
As I strolled by a restaurant, sweat trickling down my face.
My stomach is killing me.
I completely blanked on eating today ’cause I was so wrapped up in searching for a job.
The enticing aroma of toast lured me, causing me to turn my head and steal a glimpse inside the restaurant.
My eyes widening.
Inside the restaurant, right in the window, was Sam！
He wasn’t alone; he was with another woman, and they were…
Kissing.
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” I said out loud, causing a few passersby to turn their heads and give me weird looks.
Sam had told me that he was busy recently, that he had a lot of work…
Was this what he was really doing? Cheating on me with some other woman?
The fury bubbled up inside of me, I toward the restaurant window.
This woman was gorgeous — basically a supermodel — and that didn’t make me feel any better about the situation.
Not only was Sam cheating on me, but he was cheating on me with someone who looked like that.
How could he do this to me?
I stopped in front of the window. Neither of them even saw me standing there, they were so absorbed in their makeout session.
So, I banged on the window.
Sam and the mystery woman both jumped.
I stormed over to the entrance and ran inside.
“How fucking dare you?!” I yelled, my hands curled up into fists at my sides. “You’re cheating on me?”
“You’re such a rude woman, you scared off my mate,” Sam grimaced in disgust.
My heart felt a pang of pain.
Sam stood and grabbed me by the arm, dragging me out of the restaurant.
Tears streaming down my face, I confronted him, “You cheated on me, you’re such a jerk!”
“Control your temper,” he whispered, “You’re just an ordinary human. You should feel lucky that I even entertained you for three years.”
“Why her?” I croaked as a sob caught in my throat.
Sam merely chuckled. “You’re useless to me, and She’s a Beta. Her family is incredibly wealthy and powerful, and thanks to her, I’ll be starting a new job at WereCorp next week. That’s the biggest company in the world, no kidding! ”
He continued, “You can’t even find a job. How dare you even question my decision to move on.”
I shoved Sam away finally, pushing myself away from the wall.
I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.
Without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed away without looking back.
As I walked numbly down the street , I thought about what Sam was like when we first met.
He had been nothing more than a bullied Omega in high school with no confidence, no prospects, and no friends.
I had helped him gain confidence with my love and support, and this was how he repaid me?
I was still fuming when I stepped out into the intersection.
Just then, I heard the sound of a car honking and looked up to see a luxury car driving straight for me.
I stumbled backwards and fell into a puddle just before the car hit me.
I was so angry, about to give the driver a piece of my mind.
But when the car window went down, I couldn’t believe who was sitting there. My eyes nearly popped out.
Edrick Morgan, CEO of WereCorp.
I couldn’t help but notice his strong jawline, his muscular shoulders and arms, and his incredibly handsome face.
He looked me up and down and tossed a wad of cash out the window, driving away with a rev of his engine.
He tossed me money like I was some beggar.
All werewolves really were arrogant assholes.
I threw the cash on the ground and stood.
I realized how soaked and dirty my clothes were.
I walked for a few blocks, finally spotting a bar that seemed nice and quiet.
Taking a deep breath and smoothing down my stained shirt, I walked through the doors and approached the bouncer.
“No humans allowed without a member escort,” he growled, folding his arms.
I frowned. “Member?” I asked. “I’m a paying customer. Just let me buy a drink.”
The bouncer shook his head and began to usher me toward the door like I was some sort of nuisance.
“She’s with me,” a stern and clear voice suddenly said from behind.
The bouncer and I both looked up and turned to see a man in a suit standing on the stairs.
Edrick Morgan.
Moana
Edrick came down the stairs and waved the bouncer away, fixing his steely gray eyes on me.
“Come on,” he said, peering around me to look out the door and onto the street. “It looks like it’s going to rain again. You don’t want to be walking around in the rain, do you?”
I didn’t want to walk home in the rain and get more soaked than I already was, so I silently followed Edrick up the stairs.
“You’re still wearing those dirty clothes,” Edrick said in a somewhat cold tone of voice as we reached the top of the stairs. “I gave you money to replace them. Why didn’t you use it?”
“I may be a human, but I won’t take money from rude and arrogant people who throw cash at me out the window of their car like I’m a beggar on the street.”
Edrick looked me up and down for a moment before curtly turning to a woman who stood nearby.
She seemed a little older than me and wore a plain black staff uniform.
She nodded, turning to me and smiling with one arm outstretched.
“Right this way, miss,” she said as Edrick turned and disappeared into the main room of the bar.
She leading me upstairs to a private room.
As she unlocked the door and opened it, my eyes widened. The room was full of racks of expensive clothing, shoes, and accessories.
“What’s this?” I asked, turning to face the woman.
“We like to provide the best for our patrons,” the woman replied with a smile. “This room is specially designed for our female patrons to come and freshen up, touch up their makeup, or perhaps change their clothes in the event of a wardrobe malfunction. It’s not normal practice to allow a… human to use our facilities, but seeing as Mr. Morgan owns the majority share of this club, you’re welcome to wear whatever you like. Take your time.”
Before I could say anything else, the woman closed the door and left me alone.
I looked around at all of the expensive clothes and fine jewelry with a puzzled expression on my face; was Edrick Morgan not so arrogant and cruel as I thought?
Did he feel badly about our encounter in the street and wanted to make it up to me, or was this all some sort of sick joke?
I eventually emerged from the room wearing a simple black dress that reached my ankles.
It was made of a soft silk, with thin straps and a plunging neckline.
I also picked out a pair of strappy black heels and a clutch purse.
When I came down the stairs with the woman, I felt my heart start to race as I noticed Edrick look up from his table.
His eyes lingered on me for a few long moments that felt like an eternity before he looked back to continue his conversation with the other man who was sitting with him.
“To compensate for the accident earlier on the street, Mr. Morgan has agreed to cover the expenses of the evening,” the woman said. “That includes any drinks and food you order, as well as the clothes. Please feel free to take a seat at the bar.”
I looked down at my dress, feeling my face go a bit hot.
Something like this was so far from what I normally wore, and now it was mine?
I glanced up to ask the woman if she was sure I could keep the dress, but she was already gone.
Swallowing, I walked into the main area and slid up onto one of the barstools.
“What would you like to drink?” the bartender said.
“Um… Gin and tonic, please,” I replied.
The bartender returned with my drink a few moments later.
I muttered some words of thanks and swirled the liquid around in my glass as I attempted to settle into my seat and try not to act too out of place.
“What’s a beautiful girl like you doing sitting all alone?” a male voice suddenly said from beside me.
I jumped a bit and turned to see a middle-aged man in a suit leaning on the bar next to me with a drink in his hand.
He had salt-and-pepper hair, a somewhat stocky build, and smelled strongly of whiskey.
I couldn’t come up with an answer, so I awkwardly laughed and took a sip of my drink in the hopes that the man would get the hint and leave me alone, but he persisted.
Despite Edrick Morgan’s burst of kindness in letting me into this bar and paying for everything, I was still uninterested in doing much more than having a drink or two and going home for the night.
After finding my boyfriend with another woman, I wasn’t interested in conversation.
“Let me buy you another drink,” the man said, leaning closer to me. “Something better than gin and tonic. I’ve got plenty of money, being a beta and all; you can have anything you want…”
“Oh, I’m fine with this,” I said with a weak smile, trying to hide my disgust overhearing the word ‘beta’. “Thanks anyway.”
“I’m Mark, by the way. Mark Schaffer.” He stuck out his hand for me to shake, and when I did, his palm was a bit sweaty.
“Moana,” I muttered, pulling my hand away as soon as possible.
“Interesting name,” he said. “You know, I’m the Beta of…”
My mind went blank as Mark continued to prattle on about his money, his lineage, his multiple vacation homes, this and that…
I tried my best to appear polite, but eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’ve got to use the restroom,” I said suddenly, interrupting his spiel about which type of yacht was the best.
He frowned as I abruptly stood and gathered my purse, clearly annoyed that I cut him off, but I didn’t care.
Without another word, I walked to the bathroom and shut the door behind me, taking a few deep breaths as I leaned on the sink.
He was gone when I walked back to my seat.
I let out a small sigh of relief as I sat back down, but that relief turned to annoyance when the bartender approached me and handed me a red drink in a cocktail glass, informing me that Mark had paid for it.
Sighing, I picked up the glass and looked over my shoulder. Mark was sitting at a corner table, watching me like a hawk; not wanting to cause any sort of fuss, I raised my glass and mouthed the words “Thank you” before turning back and sipping on the drink.
As my head started to get light and the room started to swim around me a few minutes later, I realized that taking a drink offered to me by a strange man at the bar was a horrible idea… but I was too far gone already, and as I tried to get up from the bar, I felt myself stumble into a man’s body.
“Whoa there,” Mark’s voice said as his arms wrapped around me. “Looks like I need to get you home.”
I felt my heart start to race as Mark began to guide me away, too weak and disoriented to tell him no.
Just then, as my vision began to fade completely, I felt another hand on my shoulder; cool, and not sweaty like Mark’s.
“Where are you taking her?” Edrick’s stern voice said, so low it was almost a growl.
“Oh, I’m just taking her home,” Mark stuttered. “S-She had too much to drink. We’re old friends.”
“Is this true?” Edrick said, leaning down and coming into view. As his gray eyes locked on mine, all I could do was shake my head.
I wasn’t sure what happened after that, but the next thing I knew, I was in Edrick Morgan’s warm embrace in the back of a car.
“Where do you live?” he asked.
I tried to answer but he stopped me after I mumbled a few unclear words. “I’m taking you to a hotel then.”
In my semi-conscious state, the feeling of Edrick’s warm arms around me made my body tingle.
“Stay…” I slurred, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.
And soon, I felt Edrick Morgan, the wealthy and handsome CEO of WereCorp, relax into my touch.
Moana
I woke up to sunlight and a fresh, warm summer breeze streaming in through a large set of open French doors. As I cracked my eyes open, the sound of the city street below filled my ears, and the feeling of my throbbing head on a plush pillow alerted me to the fact that I was not in my own bed.
Groaning, I slowly pushed myself up onto my elbows and scanned the room as flashes of what happened the night before began to flood my mind. I remembered being at the bar, in the silky black dress that I had picked out… I remembered drinking a gin and tonic, and being accosted by a middle-aged man with sinister intentions…
Other memories came flooding back, too.
I remembered being in the back of a car with a handsome man. His neck was warm and soft as I pressed my lips to it. He tried to hide his arousal at first, but he eventually gave in to his desires as he led me to the elevator that led up to the expensive hotel room he had booked. We made our way to the room, stopping periodically to press our lips together and touch each other’s bodies in the hallway. I remembered how electric his hands felt on my body as he gripped my waist through the silky black dress, and how quickly he removed that dress once we were safely inside the hotel room.
He carried me over to the bed while I kissed his neck and nibbled at his ears, his body pressing into mine as he laid me down on the soft blankets. I clung onto his chest like my life depended on it, fumbling to unbutton his shirt; he eventually became tired of waiting for my clumsy fingers to undo the buttons and did it himself, revealing thick, toned muscles as he pulled his shirt off.
We spent the night in ecstasy, moving as one in the moonlit hotel room.
As I came to the realization of what happened last night, I slowly turned my head to face the man who laid asleep next to me. Even asleep, the man was still as handsome and sexy as ever, with the sheets pulled down around his waist to reveal his chiseled torso and the top of his groin, making my face get hot and turn red.
But… He was Edrick Morgan. He was my cheating ex boyfriend’s new boss.
I bit my lip and quietly climbed out of bed, searching for my panties.
“Ahem.”
I spun around with my panties in my hand to see Edrick sitting up in bed, his cold gray eyes fixed on me. Without a word, he stood — making me blush as he completely revealed his nude body — and walked over to where his pants lay on the floor. I quickly pulled my panties and my bra on as he put on his boxer briefs, then watched as he picked up his pants and dug into his pocket for his wallet.
“Here,” he said darkly, digging into his wallet and pulling out a thick wad of cash. He walked over to me and thrust it toward me. “Take it, but keep in mind that this is a one-time deal.”
I took a few steps back, my sheepish expression turning to one of anger and resentment.
“You… think I’m a prostitute?” I snarled.
Edrick merely shrugged and tossed the cash at my feet. “It doesn’t matter if you are or you aren’t,” he said coldly, walking away and pulling his pants on with his back turned to me. “No one sleeps with me without the expectation of getting something extra in return. Your aloof demeanor last night faded away pretty quickly as soon as I dressed you up and paid for your drinks, so I know what you’re after. Just take the money and leave.”
I frowned, narrowing my eyes. “I never wanted your money,” I said, my voice shaking out of anger as I picked the dress up off the ground and put it on. If I still had my own clothes, I would’ve left the dress on the floor, but I had no idea what happened to my stained outfit at this point.
“By the way,” Edrick muttered, ignoring what I said and buttoning his shirt with his back still turned to me, “you should learn not to take drinks from strangers. You’re lucky I was there to save you from that guy. Learn from basic common sense next time.”
I paused, gritting my teeth, and pulled the dress on the rest of the way before answering.
“You’re just as cold and heartless as they say.”
Edrick didn’t answer, and I didn’t care to stick around to see if he would come up with one. With a hmph, I grabbed the strappy heels from the night before and stomped barefoot over to the door. My hand rested on the doorknob for a moment as I fumed, and when I swung the door open, I called over my shoulder one last time.
“You can’t just throw money at everyone when you have a guilty conscience,” I growled before walking out and slamming the door behind me.
…
As soon as I got home, I tore off the dress and the heels and threw them in the corner as the anger over both Sam and Edrick bubbled up inside of me. Frowning and muttering to myself, I stomped over to the fridge in my underwear and pulled out the milk to pour myself a bowl of cereal. Cereal was just about all I had to eat, but the thought of taking Edrick Morgan’s money after a one night stand made me feel worse than going hungry.
As I was just about to take my first bite of cereal, my phone started ringing. I rolled my eyes, anticipating for it to be Sam trying to beg for me to come back, but squinted when I noticed that it was an unknown number.
“Hello?” I said, stirring my cereal with my spoon, half expecting a spam caller to be on the other end.
“Good morning. Is this Moana Fowler?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“My name is Nancy Grace. I’m calling from the Au Pair Agency.”
My eyes widened, and I dropped my spoon, not caring as it sank down all the way into the milk. I had been trying to find a nanny job through the Au Pair Agency for months now, but they hadn’t found any suitable work for me yet. It had been so long that I had completely lost hope at this point.
“We found an assignment for you,” Nancy said in a sing-song voice. “It’s a full time, live-in position with a single Alpha father. Are you available to make a house call later today to meet the family and complete an interview?”
“Y-Yes,” I said, using all of my energy to keep my composure. “I’d be happy to.”
“Great,” Nancy replied. “You’re expected at two o’clock today. I’ll text you the address once we end the call.”
“Thank you so much,” I replied.
“You’re welcome. Oh, and Moana — you should know that you’re not going to be the only candidate for this position. I would recommend taking extra care to make a good first impression; working for this family is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the pay is unparalleled.”
I felt my heart sink at Nancy’s words and opened my mouth to ask who the family was, but before I could, Nancy hung up and I was met with silence on the other end.
Furrowing my brow at the abrupt end to the call, I set down my phone and stared at it as the notification with the address details popped up on my screen.
What sort of family would be paying a nanny so well like this?
Moana
I pulled up to the address of the house a couple of hours later wearing a brand new set of clothes. During the time between getting the phone call and arriving, I took out my credit card, which I only used for emergencies, and ran out to buy something new to impress the family. It was just a crisp button-down shirt, tailored pants, and loafers, but as I pulled up to the enormous mansion in the mountains and saw the line of women at the door, I was glad that I had purchased the new clothes. I made sure to double check that the tags on the clothes were hidden, which I had kept on in case I didn’t get the job and would need to return them.
As I parked and walked up the pathway to the front entrance and got in line with my resume in my hand, my heart started to pound.
My heart started to pound even more when I noticed that women were not only filing into the mansion, but were also coming out with sad and defeated expressions on their faces. One girl, who was very pretty and looked a little younger than me, even had tears streaming down her cheeks as she came out with her resume crumpled up in her hands.
Was the employer so awful that he was making these poor women cry during their interviews?
As the line got shorter and I slowly made my way inside, I felt a lump rise in my throat. The inside of the house was stunningly beautiful, with dark Tudor-style wainscoting and creaky wooden floors. There was a massive double staircase in the front foyer, which was where the women would go when their names were called — up one side looking excited and confident, and down the other side looking defeated after their interviews.
“Name?” a woman’s voice said from in front of me. I looked up to see an older woman with gray hair that was pulled back into a tight, slick bun. She wore a dark blue dress with a high collar that was buttoned all the way up and had a clean gray apron on top that looked like it was freshly ironed. Needless to say, as she stared at me with her thin lips pressed into a straight line, she made me nervous.
“Moana Fowler,” I said, feeling my voice crack a bit under the pressure.
The woman muttered something to herself and looked down at the clipboard in her hand, making a tick mark next to my name.
“You’re human?” she said, shooting me a somewhat disgusted look. I nodded. “Very well. Take a seat.”
I walked over to the area where other women were sitting and found a spot in a plush armchair in the corner, where I sat quietly and mulled over my potential responses to interview questions in my head.
My train of thought was broken a few minutes later as an older woman came running down the stairs in hysterics. “She’s a little monster!” she said, tears streaming down her wrinkled face. “In all my years of being a governess, I have never — and I mean never — met such a cruel little thing.”
The room fell silent as the woman marched out, followed by a few other women who must have decided that whatever waited for them upstairs wasn’t worth it. I, along with several others, decided to take the risk; I really needed this job, regardless of the child’s behavior. The children at the orphanage I volunteered at absolutely loved me, even the difficult ones, and I was certain that I could find the good side in this child, too.
I sat there for hours while I waited for my turn to have my interview, and eventually, as the sun went down and I sank into the plush armchair, I found myself involuntarily nodding off. My night out with Mr. Edrick Morgan left me more exhausted than I was willing to admit.
“Moana Fowler.”
I jumped, awoken abruptly as the stern woman from before called my name and looked up to see her standing over me.
“Oh! I’m sorry,” I said, sitting upright and nervously wiping a bit of drool off of the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. “Is it my turn?” I looked around to see that the waiting room was completely empty.
“Go home,” the woman said sternly, stepping away from me and gesturing toward the door.
“But… I haven’t had my interview,” I said frantically, standing with my resume clutched in my hand. “I’m sorry I dozed off, but it’s been hours–”
“Ella doesn’t wish to see any more candidates,” she interrupted. “Especially not young, pretty girls such as yourself.”
I felt my heart drop into my stomach as I shook my head vehemently.
“No,” I pleaded, “please let me see her. I promise you won’t regret it if you just give me a chance.”
The woman stared at me for several painfully long moments before sighing. “Fine,” she said, turning and starting to ascend the stairs. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I excitedly followed the woman up the stairs, where she silently led me down a wide hallway that was lined with large, ornate wooden doors. Finally, we stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway. She opened the door and let me in without a word.
“I told you I’m tired!” a small voice growled from behind a high-backed chair that faced the empty fireplace. “I don’t want to see anyone else!”
“Well, I’d like to see you,” I said softly, stepping toward the chair.
A small head of blonde hair poked out from behind the chair and glared at me, appraising me, for several moments as I stood in the middle of the room. Suddenly, as if my appearance didn’t meet her standards, the little girl leaped out of her seat and rushed toward me, her childish face twisted into an angry snarl and her werewolf fangs bared. Between the mop of messy blonde hair poked two pointed little ears on either side of her head, which twitched backward aggressively.
I stood my ground and stared down at the little ball of fury, which only became more furious as I continued to ignore her displays of aggression.
“Why aren’t you running like the rest?!” she shouted, her high-pitched voice turning into a squeal.
I crouched down to meet the little girl’s gaze. Her hair had fallen into her eyes. I slowly extended my hand to brush it away; she flinched, growling and baring her teeth, but let me do it when I persisted, revealing sparkling blue eyes.
“You’re very pretty,” I said softly, watching intently as the little girl’s ears pricked up and her lips slowly closed. “What’s your name?”
She paused, staring at the floor, and when she spoke her face was still pointed down at it. “Ella.”
“Nice to meet you, Ella,” I said. “My name is Moana. Can I ask why you want to scare me away?”
“My daddy is a handsome and rich man,” she said, her voice now a whisper. “All of the young and pretty girls like you just want to work for him so they can marry him and take his money. No one wants to be here for me. I told Ms. Selina that I didn’t want to see anyone else, but she brought you instead.”
I paused for a moment, feeling tears prick at the backs of my eyes at the little girl’s words.
“You know,” I said softly, holding out my hand with my palm up and feeling the dread lift out of my stomach as Ella touched my fingers, “I was an orphan when I was your age. I understand what it’s like to not feel wanted.”
“Really?” Ella said, looking up at me with wonder on her face. “You’re not here to steal my daddy away?”
I shook my head, holding back laughter as I thought about how silly it would be for a wealthy Alpha werewolf to be interested in me, a human.
“No,” I said gently. “I’m here for you.”
Ella and I both looked up as we heard the door creak open. I looked over my shoulder, still crouching, to see the woman from before standing in the doorway. “It’s past your bedtime, Ella,” she said, clasping her hands in front of her.
“I want this one,” Ella said, walking cheerfully past me and skipping out the door as if she hadn’t just been threatening to bite my face off.
The old woman — Selina, as I had discovered her name was — cast me a disbelieving look, her eyes narrowing as she sized me up.
“Hmph,” she said under her breath once Ella was out of earshot. “What did you do to make her choose you?”
I shrugged. “Finding a common ground is a powerful thing,” I said, following Selina from the room.
When we got downstairs, Selina opened the front door to let me out. “We have your address on file, and a car will be waiting for you first thing in the morning to take you to sign your contract and begin your first day. Be ready at six o’clock sharp, and not a moment later.”
Smiling, I nodded and walked past Selina with a light feeling in my body despite her curt attitude, then paused and turned around to face her. “What was the father’s name, by the way?” I asked.
Selina pursed her lips and looked at me coldly. “You’ll receive the details once you sign your contract,” she said, promptly closing the door in my face and leaving me alone on the doorstep.
Moana
I woke up at 4:30 the next morning.
Because today was the first day of the job that would change my life, and I had to be perfect.
The clock struck 5:59, I saw a black car slowly pulling up out front.
I practically flew out of my apartment and down the stairs so that I was opening the car door by 6:00 sharp.
The driver pulled the car away from the curb and started heading down the street.
“We’ll be stopping to sign your contract with the lawyer first,” Selina with a modicum of disgust on her wrinkled face. “Then, you’ll get a tour of the penthouse apartment . I suspect you won’t be needing to return to your old home to collect your things?”
“Well, I have some clothes and things there–”
“Your employer will supply you with anything you need, I wouldn’t recommend wasting your time and energy on such a move.”
I nodded, clutching the tiny silver locket around my neck.
That locket was the only sentimental thing I owned.
“Very well,” Selina said.
We spent the next several minutes of the car trip in complete silence.
The driver eventually pulled the car over in front of a brownstone with large bay windows with a sign over the door that read “William Brown, Esq.”
Selina got out of the car without a word and started for the door, she rapped on the door with the brass knocker.
The door swung open a few moments later, and a young woman led us in.
The office smelled like a sickly combination of mahogany and burnt coffee, and it was eerily quiet.
The woman only shut the door behind us and gestured toward a half-open door at the end of a short hallway.
When we entered, there was an old man sitting behind an enormous wooden desk.
He was asleep.
“Wake up, William!”
“What? Oh!” the old man exclaimed with a start as he was unceremoniously awoken.
William putting on his glasses with shaking old hands as he opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of documents.
“You’ll just have to sign this basic contract and an NDA.” he said.
I leaned forward and picked up the pen, scanning over the contract.
My eyebrows raised as I noticed a couple of interesting clauses thrown in: one mentioned that I was not allowed to become romantically involved with my employer at any point, and another stated that I was prohibited from becoming pregnant with my employer’s child without permission.
“Um… What are these clauses for?” I asked, pointing to them. William leaned over and glanced at them, then waved his hand dismissively.
“All very standard.”
“But I–”
“Just sign the agreement,” Selina growled under her breath. “Unless you think you will break the clauses…”
I quickly scrawling my signature down on the dotted line and sliding the contract back to William. “I would never. I was just curious.”
“Well, that’s finished,” she said, “Let’s go, Moana.”
We arrived at the location where I would be working and living a few minutes later.
It was vastly different from the Tudor-style mountain mansion I had visited the day before, but equally as massive and beautiful.
Ella was waiting for us when we arrived. She looked much more put-together and far less feral than the night before, wearing a prim baby blue dress with ruffles and a bow in her hair.
Much to mine and Selina’s surprise, Ella threw her arms around me in a tight hug and then took my hand, leading me away from Selina and around the massive apartment on a tour.
Ella’s bedroom alone was bigger than my old apartment.
Finally, after she introduced me to the twin maids, Lily and Amy, Ella led me to what would be my room.
“This is your room!” she said, pushing open a large set of double doors with her tiny hands. I stifled a gasp as I saw how spacious and beautiful it was, with even a small balcony that overlooked the city below.
“This is… mine?” I asked, unable to contain my disbelief.
“Mm-hmm,” Ella said, climbing up on the bed and bouncing a bit. “Come feel the bed!”
I walked over to the bed and sat down next to Ella.
“Wow, it is bouncy,” I said, to which Ella giggled and flopped onto her back, arms outstretched.
“So, can you tell me anything about your parents?” I asked. “Do you have a mom?”
Ella shook her head, still laying back and staring up at the ceiling. “Nope. I never met my mom. She died when I was born.”
“Oh,” I replied, my voice faltering. “I’m sorry.”
Ella merely sat up and shrugged, “It’s okay. I’m happy with just my daddy. He’s always nice to me… I just wish he could spend more time with me.”
Looking around, I sighed and said, “I bet he really loves you.”
Hand in hand, Ella and I strolled into the living room, feeling so damn lucky.
Ella was just so adorable.
That’s when I heard the front door click open.
“Daddy!” Ella yelled.
I took a deep breath and stood, smoothing down my shirt and quickly fixing my hair as I prepared to meet my employer for the first time.
“Hey, princess. Did you have a good day?”
My eyes widened as I heard his voice.
Turned out, he was my freaking boss!
🌟 Continue the story here
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