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2,249,942	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:40	active	1668	Breaking news from Colusa County!	Colusa County News: Colusa County hosting Narcan Giveaway events. Install news app trusted by millions to stay informed of latest Colusa County local news!	INSTALL_MOBILE_APP	https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.	Colusa County, CA	https://www.facebook.com/100067762534225/	54	1969-12-31 18:00	Install now	www.newsbreakapp.com	IMAGE		https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.particlenews.newsbreak	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463821375_512351918455577_2305240205426258709_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ePNphvKT830Q7kNvgFsZzJ0&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AzWaAU117CUiqG-uux-mbbJ&oh=00_AYBw5ULlOgVvka6__2zwxaWCgHLNPYdIQgzY5stXTO2URw&oe=671B74F4	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Colusa County, CA	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,255,593	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2255871}'	No	2024-10-20 21:24	active	1671	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Debra gasped and opened her eyes. Everything in front of her was strikingly familiar. This place was Juan and her home. They had been married for a month, but Juan had rarely visited her. She remembered that Juan was attending a land auction, and due to the occasion, he had to bring her along. But this was all five years ago. 'How could it be? ' she thought, deeply confused, 'Am I reborn?' " Mr. Nichols has never stayed overnight before. You should seize this opportunity." a maid’s voice brought Debra back to reality. She picked out a white gown, hesitating. "How about this one, Madam?" Looking at it, Debra gave a self-deprecating smile. It was well known that Juan favored Shelia. Shelia liked white dresses. In the past, she often dressed like Shelia to please Juan. For this auction, Juan didn't inform her of the change in companion and brought Shelia instead, making her look ridiculous in a white dress similar to Shelia's. The thought of the past made her laugh. "No, I'll wear that one," she said, picking up a red dress. Debra never liked plain clothes. Shelia was just a poor college student. Debra felt that she must have lost her mind to dress like that for a man. "But Mr. Nichols likes white dresses," the maid said hesitantly. Debra simply ignored her hints. "I'll wear this one," she said. "Throw away all those white dresses. I don't like them." The maid sighed and complied. Debra looked at herself in the mirror, still vibrant and beautiful. But in a few years, she would be worn down by Juan's torment. Before that happened, she would end it all. In the evening, Debra appeared in a burgundy dress that accentuated her curves. Her delicate makeup, curls, and a mole under her eye made her mesmerizing. She looked like a painting, untouchable. Not far away, a man in a white shirt and black leather combat boots saw her. Marion Houston asked, "Who is she?" "You don't know her? She's Debra, the daughter of the Frazier family and Juan's wife," said his friend, Randy Osborne. "I just saw Juan entering with another woman. Maybe we'll witness a showdown between the mistress and the wife. It will be fun."	LEARN_MORE	https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=1	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	224	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	thebvhwysgng.com	DCO		https://thebvhwysgng.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13914&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/460739134_1050088236397748_8443611527323711337_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=GqI_HiPoD0AQ7kNvgG3wAqw&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A0tMXBOTYyyv4Cm8FS6mqZY&oh=00_AYCkQALnQGEFQBsC3j4SXyMpR20iSetdUQBDiAG0eYdReA&oe=671B87F0	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,251,275	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2251274}'	No	2024-10-20 19:54	active	1669			SIGN_UP	https://linktr.ee/growwithkelly	GROW with Kelly- Fitness Coaching Community	https://www.facebook.com/61551852900529/	66	1969-12-31 18:00	Sign Up	linktr.ee	CAROUSEL		https://linktr.ee/growwithkelly	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463875199_585588270704242_4050927315741372953_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zMDYKSuBOD4Q7kNvgGa-ORd&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Aztax_RwsHvDYzhEz5TUKtw&oh=00_AYDjU1VyuiRNQox6aTXRGeHZ9RZYNGWFupPhLSdsw7PRxQ&oe=671B7ED5	PERSON_PROFILE	0	GROW with Kelly- Fitness Coaching Community	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,253,700	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-20 20:24	active	1670	Read next chapter👉	“President, look at your ex-wife’s social media platform!” "Leaving the capital has nothing to do with me!" "In the photo, she is holding a child who looks very similar to you. Doesn't it matter?" He immediately dropped the document and rushed out! ============= Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom." Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?" Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. At that time, Mitchel's grandfather fell seriously ill. It was then he proposed a fake marriage just to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get married to the man she had a crush on for eight years. She delightfully agreed. After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. Raegan wished she could spend more time with him at home. However, she was rest assured because there hadn't been any rumors or scandals about him with women in the past two years. Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. She also wanted to tell him that she hadn't learned about him for the first time two years ago and that she had been crushing on him for many years before then. Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? Mitchel spent a few minutes on the balcony. Thereafter, he returned and changed into formal attire. His handsome face which had a clear outline made him look dignified. He was something to see now. "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. What? He was on his way out? At this hour? Raegan's grip on the report tightened as she stared at him in disappointment. Unconsciously, she withdrew slightly. After thinking for a while, she blurted out, "It's already so late." Mitchel's fingers froze on his tie. With a faint smile, he pinched her earlobe and said, "Be good, okay? There's something I have to do. Don't wait up." With that, he headed for the door. "Mitchel." Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter?" There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?" Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. However, she wasn't interested in them. She was about to swipe them away when one of them caught her attention. The familiar name made her click on it. The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today." Lauren was wearing a bucket hat. The man's figure was vague, but the outline of his body was enough to show that he was dashing. Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. Mitchel was the man in the picture! So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. The dial tone brought her back to her senses. Just as she was about to hang up, the line connected, and a voice came from the other end. "Hello!" It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. Since inception, only male assistants were hired for the president's office. Reagan was the first and only female. Her employment broke the protocol. As a result, other workers couldn't help but wonder if she was involved with Mitchel. It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks. At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel? Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. Raegan tried to remain calm now. She reasoned that no matter what happened, she deserved a result that would be rewarding for all the years she spent loving Mitchel. This couldn't be all for nothing, right? She pressed the elevator button calmly and went up to the president's office. Before she walked out of the elevator, she smoothed her hair to make sure she looked good. She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?" The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. "You know exactly what I mean!" Luis clicked his tongue impatiently and added, "I think Raegan is a good girl. Isn't she your type?" "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. "You know what, forget it!" The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. They were talking about her as if she were an object. Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?" "Yes." "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her." Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..." Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. The woman was indeed Lauren! Absence made the heart grow fonder! Every word drove a knife into her heart. Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. "Raegan?" Chapter 2 One-sided Love Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!" Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it." Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. It wasn't until she went out of sight that Luis turned to Mitchel and said in a hushed tone, "Do you think she heard us?" Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. In the elevator. Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. Several employees were chatting inside. "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back." "And who is that?" "Oh, my! You don't know her? Lauren is the heiress of the Murray Group as well as a world-class designer. Most importantly, she's the only girlfriend Mr. Dixon has ever shown off in public. She's his first love!" "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?" "Raegan? She's nothing to Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon never admitted that he was dating her. And that is no surprise to me. After all, look at her. She's not even that beautiful. Yet, she behaves as if she's already Mrs. Dixon. What a fool!" Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. The love was one-sided. "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?" A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Tessa uttered sarcastically, "Lauren is back now. Do you think Mitchel will still give you any attention?" Raegan said nothing to that. Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool." Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself." "You..." Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. Raegan didn't think for a second that Tessa would do something so crazy. She held up her arms just to block the liquid from her face. In no time, the coffee drenched her clothes. Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?" It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. She put on a mean-girl look as she said, "What makes you so smug every day, huh? Do you seriously think that others don't know you are just an orphan? The nerve of..." Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!" Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness." Indeed, she lost her parents when she was a child. But that didn't mean she would allow someone to walk over her for it. Wrinkles appeared on Tessa's face as she frowned in anger. As Mitchel's cousin, she was used to being fawned over and respected. This was the first time she had been treated like this. Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?" These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. "That's enough!" Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. The entire room fell silent. "Mitchel?" Tessa's blood ran cold at the sight of Mitchel. She had always been scared of him. Her mother also warned her against provoking him. But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me." The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. Their gaze met in the air. With a deep frown, Mitchel looked at Raegan and said, "Raegan, have you forgotten the rules of the company?" His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. No one dared to make a sound at this moment. Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. When she got employed here, Mitchel had told her that the Dixon Group wasn't a place for her to mess around and that he would not tolerate her making any mistakes. Raegan could understand why he took this stand. However, at this moment, she was desperate to know whether Mitchel had heard those hard words Tessa scolded her or he was just pretending not to have heard because he agreed to those words. Was she truly insignificant to him? Scared to death by Mitchel's rage, the crowd soon dispersed. A few employees were bold enough to peep from a distance, unwilling to miss the good show. Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you." Eyeing Raegan, Tessa raised her chin complacently. "Humph! Don't think you'll be let off the hook just by making a simple apology. I don't buy..." "The offence has nothing to do with the company. Personally, I refuse to apologize to you. Now, if you'd excuse me," Raegan chimed in. She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. "You..." Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. Pointing in Raegan's direction, Tessa shouted, "Mitchel, did you hear what that woman just said? She humiliated me, yet she's still so arrogant. Call her back. I have to teach her some manners!" Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. As someone who lived and breathed drama and cruelty, Tessa didn't think Mitchel was partial to Raegan just now. She assumed that Mitchel didn't care about Raegan at all. Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson." "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. Tessa trembled at once. With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone." The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..." Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards." Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here." Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please." It wasn't until this moment that Tessa realized that she was the irrelevant person Mitchel just mentioned. She tried to speak to him, but Matteo blocked her way. The security guards then escorted her out. They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. Closing hour soon rolled by. Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home." Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? Upon arriving at the hospital, Raegan saw that the nurse was about to feed her grandmother dinner. Raegan took the job over and did it by herself. All her life, her grandmother had been living in the countryside, enjoying a quiet life. Everything changed last month when her routine medical checkup showed that she was in need of medical care. Raegan insisted on bringing her to the city for better treatment. Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. Did he come to pick her up? At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. Chapter 3 Let's Divorce Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. She was Lauren. Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?" Raegan was stunned for a moment. She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay." She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. At the time, she had hopes of bringing her grandmother to the city, so she bought the apartment on mortgage. It wasn't that big, but it had more than enough space for two people. Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. Love could move mountains, they said. Yet, her love didn't move that stone of a man. She finally realized what a fool she had been. She had been making herself a laughingstock in front of everyone. It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. His sleeves were rolled up casually, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his long neck and part of his collarbone. He was leaning on the wall by the door, his handsome face straight. Raegan froze for a moment. Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. There were five missed calls from Mitchel. This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. But now, she just threw her phone back into her bag, folded her arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't hear it ring." Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours." After arranging everything for Lauren, he returned home to find an empty house. He looked for Raegan everywhere. When he couldn't find her, he asked Matteo to check the surveillance footage of all the roads that led away from the company. He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. "Next time, tell me when you are coming here, okay? Let's go home now." After that, Mitchel walked toward the elevator without sparing her another glance. He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. Would they have a future? Mitchell turned around, only to see that Raegan hadn't taken a single step. He frowned and asked, "Can't you walk? Do you want me to carry you instead?" The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce." "What do you mean?" Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon." Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. "We will be strangers?" Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?" His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. Mitchel had made it very clear to her from the very beginning. This facade of their marriage had happened by mutual agreement. There was no love. In the eyes of others, they were nothing more than just a superior and a subordinate. Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. His question just now reminded her of that fact. Was he afraid that she wouldn't let him go that easily? If that was the case, he couldn't be more wrong... After biting her lower lip to conceal her bitterness, Raegan said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dixon. I was giving it too much thought. Anyway, please leave me alone from now on. You don't have to come here again." After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. How could she not be sad when she was cutting ties with the man she had loved for a decade? It was such a long time. Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. It was high time she stopped being a fool. Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. His eyes shone like blazing torches at this moment. But when he saw the tears in her eyes, the rage inside him extinguished in an instant. He said in a low voice, "If this is about what happened between you and Tessa, I..." "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now." A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop this, will you?" A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. "You have a fever?" Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. This made the whole situation complicated. Reagan was slow to catch that. When she finally realized that her body was too close to his, she put her hands against his chest and tried to pull back. Before she could escape, Mitchel pulled her back and held her by the waist. With a cold face, he said in a low voice, "Where do you think you are going?" The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. He then headed for the elevator. In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course." "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital. Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. He walked to the elevator with her in his arms. At this moment, Raegan's heart was thumping so hard that it could jump out of her chest. She flailed in protest. "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!" &35&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	Hello reading	https://www.facebook.com/61552535188096/	47,676	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	VIDEO		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=798859118295947&rawadid=120216197091540091	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462694511_1625302331668142_570083290334293771_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=bn53kfu1OF4Q7kNvgFv_la-&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AQoRnqUHUhfLcUl6L-EGEGc&oh=00_AYApQepLnKP7NGzyIA5Eyyw5R2clNemEFwlUdi18szy91Q&oe=671B72FE	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Hello reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,257,206	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2257204}'	Yes	2024-10-20 21:25	active	1671	New 2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 High Roof 4-Cyl Diesel \| For $63,202 W1Y4KCHY9RT183395		LEARN_MORE	https://www.mbeugene.com/new/Mercedes-Benz/2024-Me	Mercedes-Benz of Eugene	https://www.facebook.com/MercedesBenzEugene/	1,304	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	mbeugene.com	CAROUSEL		https://www.mbeugene.com/new/Mercedes-Benz/2024-Mercedes-Benz-Sprinter+2500-6a2e009dac180f256a114d834f211da9.htm?alstad_source=car&alstad_vin=W1Y4KCHY9RT183395&alstad_year=2024&alstad_make=Mercedes-Benz&alstad_model=Sprinter+2500&alstad_condition=new&alst_action=car&alst_action_value=W1Y4KCHY9RT183395	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463866729_558871803165569_113462172510653713_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=YDz-2fkfZRcQ7kNvgHFGba1&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A-VMtfuMV4Jvp8ih-lYskao&oh=00_AYD2gfhBHdW1VBOERlsN4GgejiuA3hj-MQCP8jZkFsNhzg&oe=671B8149	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Mercedes-Benz of Eugene	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,257,078	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":false,"simple_request_ratio":1,"is_bh_selenium":false,"selenium_ratio":1,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-10-20 21:25	active	1671	The Bergen House		SIGN_UP	https://commerce.arryved.com/location/Bebb3OZG	The Bergen House	https://www.facebook.com/bergenhousellc/	2,228	1969-12-31 18:00	Sign Up	commerce.arryved.com	CAROUSEL		https://commerce.arryved.com/location/Bebb3OZG	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464110894_955902066349389_1455185232200641262_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=mbLws7HmJWEQ7kNvgFVYZ3P&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AtK_C2zzBkfu5kXoXbO7q4S&oh=00_AYAX-C8BStWqIkLlpSkRldpTRvgRn9N-8mjgK4R5KoCMJA&oe=671B6A49	PERSON_PROFILE	0	The Bergen House	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,251,993	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2251986}'	No	2024-10-20 20:12	active	1670	Improve Indoor Air Quality	Schedule an inspection today!	CONTACT_US	https://www.servallpestcontrol.com/contact-us/	Servall Martin	https://www.facebook.com/ServallMartin/	1,234	1969-12-31 18:00	Contact Us	servallpestcontrol.com	CAROUSEL	Schedule an inspection today!	https://www.servallpestcontrol.com/contact-us/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/449394518_1206704243670558_682330835805237756_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5PCpK-MEfuwQ7kNvgEjFQYE&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AlIem-WYt6UtQuQD7_CNv8X&oh=00_AYAKoOvDbfAY3j80ZegpUoM1CWvcuTqgOl2aJzuzwz6KVw&oe=671B6618	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Servall Martin	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,253,815	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2253806}'	No	2024-10-20 20:25	active	1670	Get a FREE Hat + Carabiner	FREE GIFT — Get our new limited edition hat + carabiner when you upgrade your camera gear.* Limited time only. Free gift with purchase Lifetime warranty Free shipping available	SHOP_NOW	https://social.urth.co/collections/best-selling-ge	Urth	https://www.facebook.com/UrthStores/	26,385	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	URTH.CO	DCO	Limited time only	https://social.urth.co/collections/best-selling-gear	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463157812_1914549982360745_3632612678195154382_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Ut7QSILIVqoQ7kNvgH8OAiX&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AZ_Ky0oQthqjZy2kVduD9ee&oh=00_AYAUcAROClF8FBz4p3TL7wpsD9Surk02EfsNHlF_L3cMJA&oe=671B84E3	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Urth	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,249,240	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:37	active	1668		🐎Hermes Giveaway🐎this Wednesday at 12pm on Whatnot (the app). Join our beautiful show starring Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Burberry, Longchamp, Ralph Lauren and a lot more! The equestrian couture is to die for, and the bags…you will want them all. Link to join is in our bio. See you Wednesday 💋 . . . #hermes #giveaway #gardenparty #louisvuittonbackpack #burberrybag #loewebag #longchamplepliage #mackage #puffercoat #minkcoat #equestrianstyle #fallfashion #equinesofinstagram #oldmoneystyle #richlifestyle #codogirl	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/codogirl	Codogirl	https://www.facebook.com/codogirl/	2,943	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram profile	instagram.com	VIDEO		http://instagram.com/codogirl	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464154800_2759048980936298_8996698965755236190_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=4-t6Ay5Qi-MQ7kNvgGTYUPp&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AUyTRQ9DfcBghOD8IQBh23B&oh=00_AYAKEfOAmNDhnJL-ga3WbQUFKPm6M0J24eJB2sWwkNRSrA&oe=671B7201	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Codogirl	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,250,042	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-20 19:40	active	1668		----- • To Enter: 1. Make sure you FOLLOW OUR PAGE 2. Like this post 3. TAG ONE FRIEND IN THE COMMENTS CLOSES: ОСТ.21, 2024 АТ 11:59 PM. Winner will be announced OCT.22, 2024.	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/sunsetdeath.88	SunsetDeath	https://www.facebook.com/sunsetdeath.88/	640	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram profile	instagram.com	IMAGE		http://instagram.com/sunsetdeath.88	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463660095_567846449142392_318306872196791320_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=QV4_Fk8v554Q7kNvgEbJDy6&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AdnwdFXYh2ZsGdxaRHcJevi&oh=00_AYCMK-8IFDkdfgp_uDXJJvjyJn70w_qxbIQ0a_knnb21fw&oe=671B68CB	PERSON_PROFILE	0	SunsetDeath	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,249,357	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:37	active	1668	Pretty Little Party - Grand Opening	Join us for a FREE event celebrating our ✨ GRAND OPENING ✨ We’re thrilled to invite you to our Halloween-themed Grand Opening event! Bring the kids, come in costume, and meet our team of vendors as we get ready for a day of fun, treats, and spooky surprises. 🗓️ October 26, 2024 // Rain Date: Oct 27 ⏰ 2pm - 5pm 📍 Pretty Little Party Co. 8031 Wyandotte St. E Windsor, ON Here’s what you can look forward to: 👻 Costume Contest – Show off your best look for a chance to win! 🧁 Cupcake Decorating – Get creative and design your own spooky treats. 🎃 Kids Crafts – Fun, hands-on activities for little ones. 📸 Photo Ops & Special Guests 🎨 Face Painting – Available for a small fee to add some festive flair to your costume. 🍬Trick-or-Treating Fun – Collect goodies as you explore our new space! while supplies last Bring the whole family and enjoy fun activities, refreshments, and a chance to win a special giveaway! 🎁 We can't wait to celebrate this exciting new chapter with our amazing community. Street parking available, or the lot across the street. Out of respect for the surrounding businesses, please refrain from parking at the Law Office or Benjamin Moore parking lot. Thank you, See you there!	EVENT_RSVP	https://www.facebook.com/events/1575578043086702/	Pretty Little Party Co.	https://www.facebook.com/prettylittlepartyco/	111	1969-12-31 18:00	INTERESTED	Pretty Little Party - Grand Opening	EVENT	Join us for a FREE event celebrating our ✨ GRAND OPENING ✨ We’re thrilled to invite you to our Halloween-themed Grand Opening event! Bring the kids, come in costume, and meet our team of vendors as we get ready for a day of fun, treats, and spooky surprises. 🗓️ October 26, 2024 // Rain Date: Oct 27 ⏰ 2pm - 5pm 📍 Pretty Little Party Co. 8031 Wyandotte St. E Windsor, ON Here’s what you can look forward to: 👻 Costume Contest – Show off your best look for a chance to win! 🧁 Cupcake Decorating – Get creative and design your own spooky treats. 🎃 Kids Crafts – Fun, hands-on activities for little ones. 📸 Photo Ops & Special Guests 🎨 Face Painting – Available for a small fee to add some festive flair to your costume. 🍬Trick-or-Treating Fun – Collect goodies as you explore our new space! while supplies last Bring the whole family and enjoy fun activities, refreshments, and a chance to win a special giveaway! 🎁 We can't wait to celebrate this exciting new chapter with our amazing community. Street parking available, or the lot across the street. Out of respect for the surrounding businesses, please refrain from parking at the Law Office or Benjamin Moore parking lot. Thank you, See you there!	https://www.facebook.com/events/1575578043086702/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464041737_605063015518287_8156955797055962152_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=7VyMNgjcprMQ7kNvgHGGQmd&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A8aqIvEd0VLERgVnExh6xUn&oh=00_AYA2IL57QNf9fr_rjwGzKlF0nq8pgL2qjFsm0F031hZvDA&oe=671B68AC	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Pretty Little Party Co.	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,249,973	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:40	active	1668		Sign up at k-snax.com to be the first to try our ube black sesame, matcha, and gochujang caramel protein bars! Giveaway is now closed! We’re planning to launch later this year! We’ll keep you updated on our launch date! In the meantime, we’re creating a blog on our website to highlight Asian athletes and artists (music, film, TV, painters, photographers, dancers, designers, etc)! GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! WINNERS BEING ANNOUNCED SOON! Also, we want to give a huge shoutout to @hanachoi.design for designing our new logo and packaging! Thank you!	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/k.snax	k.snax	https://www.instagram.com/_u/k.snax	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram profile	instagram.com	VIDEO		http://instagram.com/k.snax	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/456066520_1022698989069945_7077853954200164550_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s206x206&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7fff4e&_nc_ohc=JejK9o2E2DEQ7kNvgGYOtQo&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AYA9q_3HxdE55YRmuOeq4OAhwzjnGC-6YnZ_VxHiYm7Z4w&oe=671B73BB	IG_ADS_IDENTITY	1	k.snax	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,251,487	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2250506}'	No	2024-10-20 19:57	active	1669	⚡️Fun workouts ⚡️Customized nutrition plans ⚡️Motivation & Support	For busy moms & professionals 40+ who want to look and feel their best in the next 12 weeks and 💪 Shred stubborn belly fat and build lean muscle ⚡ Gain all-day energy, motivation, and confidence 👀 Look & Feel fitter & stronger in their 40s Interested? If so, click the button below to claim your spot. ⬇️	BOOK_TRAVEL	http://fb.me/	Temple Fitness	https://www.facebook.com/TempleFitness/	1,635	1969-12-31 18:00	Book Now	fb.me	DCO		http://fb.me/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463875164_913144380774746_7024280709018123034_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5b6Jusd1PEcQ7kNvgF6qSQs&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AMVS0y1y3mqaJWcTJdcbQAK&oh=00_AYB8ySYrYcN9kv8C4P80FHSk6ACANC0OMm4t_DPhPvB_vg&oe=671B7713	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Temple Fitness	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,251,589	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:59	active	1669	💖😍one click to continue FREE reading👉	Tonight was going to be the end of everything bad and the beginning of a new thing for me. And as my feet moved, I had just one person to find in mind, my lover, and my boyfriend. Whom I was going to propose to tonight. Despite the clusters of people all around, one thing my curse made easy for me was moving swiftly. They parted for me, none of them wanting my hand or body to come in contact with theirs. I climbed the stairs quickly, my heart racing and beating wildly in my chest. Merlin was the first man to look at me differently. The first man to not care whether my eyes were pitch red or my hair was too red for the pack. He was the only man that touched me and won't have disgust in his eyes. The man I want to spend the rest of my life with. My parents were planning to send me out of the house tomorrow, it was a piece of information I had stumbled on without their knowledge, and before they could do that, I was planning to get married to Merlin. We were in love, and I've been discussing it with him. It was bound to happen anyway, I was just speeding it along. "Merlin!" I called out, opening another door. I was just about to open another door when my eyes caught a whiff of his curly golden hair, turning back to see if it was him. A smile lit up the corners of my lips as I moved towards him, about to utter his name when my feet halted, the sight in front of me causing all the music to die down. My heart tightened in my chest, my lungs unable to take in any more air. Just standing there, his head buried in the middle of Alia's thigh... ----------- Allison’s POV. Tears laced my eyes, the image in front of me was too hard for me to believe, yet it was all there, staring at me right in the face. "I never wanted you, Allison. You’re cursed. Your hair is Red. Your eyes are too Red . Like a witch, who wants to mate with someone like that?" If it were the tons, the crowd, the people of the pack, the words would never hurt. I had grown too tough for their words to hurt. But it was Merlin, the man I wanted to marry, the man I had his ring right in my pocket, about to propose to. "It has always been your sister. It has always been Arya. It has never and would never be you." He spat to my face, closing the distance between us, "so before I disgrace you, give your blessings immediately." He urged, his eyes turning pitch green. * TEN MINUTES EARLIER. "Dirtbag." "Look at how hideous she looks." "Can’t she dye her hair or do something to it?" "Why is she allowed to even attend? She brings bad omen anywhere she goes. Move away from her, Alice. She’s bad for you." I don’t care about the opinions of irrelevant people. My gaze was fixed on the five-tier cake in the middle of the hall, and the luxurious decorations in every corner of the room. Even the champagne glasses were intentionally adorned with her smiling face. It formed a stark contrast with the convenience store cake they hurriedly bought out of pity for my birthday. I clenched my fists bitterly, striving not to let my expression show. Twenty years have passed, and I’m still treated the same way, as if I had never come out of their wombs. Twenty years, and even a fool would know that I can never compare to the outstanding treatment she receives. On my own birthday, the only thing they did was prepare a cake, and it wasn’t until late at night that they remembered to bring the cake and even wish me a happy birthday. A sharp pain shot through my head and throat. Red, the color most hated by the wolf pack, because the witches have brought so much disaster to the pack. Unfortunately, I bear the mark of a witch, which puzzles me. My parents and my sister have black-brown hair, but my hair, including my eyeballs, is a fiery red color. Especially at the moment of my birth, the pack suffered a massive downpour that destroyed everyone’s homes and food supplies. Since then, the curse has become my nickname. "So you should live quietly in the pack with a grateful attitude, like a mute." For twenty years, I’ve been taught that I must live like a rat, unseen by the pack. But I haven’t submitted. I still fight back against the injustice I face. The reason I dare to do so is that once when I was pushed down, I chose to cry instead of getting back up and fighting back. That time, I received an angry whipping from my father. I think even though my father dislikes me, he dislikes having a weak daughter even more. Although he ignores the harm done to me, he hates weakness even more. But today I have more important things to do. I touched the ring in my pocket again, and my steps quickened. A familiar shrill, caustic voice rang out, and then a beautifully dressed girl, looking like a Barbie doll in a princess gown, pushed me. "And if you even wanted to show up badly, could you not have found something to cover all of this! Must you always embarrass me!" She harshed out in between gritted teeth, her eyes wide open. Lest I forget, my name is Allison, the red haired and eyes of the pack, second daughter of the Alpha and Luna whom I have never for once called father or mother because it was an abomination for me to do so. I was not a blessing. I was not a child. I was not a person. I was a curse. She yanked my tank top down, trying to cover the cursed mark that has made me everyone treat me like a rogue instead of a princess, her finger dangling in front of my face, "You better find something else to wear, and find a head wrap to that red hair of yours unless I’ll finally be cutting everything away tonight." She strode away after one more glaring look, my eyes following her until she finally disappeared before downing the last of my drink. I dropped the glass to the tray of one of the waiters, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand as my eyes rounded the entire room again. The sight of all the golden hair, the purple hair, the brown hair made my stomach churn with bitterness and jealousy. When I was very young, I would pray to be one of them. Red hair was a curse to the pack, and my head was a symbol of the curse I bore. I would cry in my room to miraculously wake up one day and have it gone, to have my eyeball be normal just like everyone, to have the stupid long mark that stretched from one end of my stomach to the other end disappear. All to just be normal. But now I was past all of those stages, and tonight was going to be the end of everything bad and the beginning of a new thing for me. And as my feet moved, I had just one person to find in mind, my lover, and my boyfriend. Whom I was going to propose to tonight. Despite the clusters of people all around, one thing my curse made easy for me was moving swiftly. They parted for me, none of them wanting my hand or body to come in contact with theirs. I climbed the stairs quickly, my heart racing and beating wildly in my chest. Merlin was the first man to look at me differently. The first man to not care whether my eyes were pitch red or my hair was too red for the pack. He was the only man that touched me and won’t have disgust in his eyes. The man I want to spend the rest of my life with. My parents were planning to send me out of the house tomorrow, it was a piece of information I had stumbled on without their knowledge, and before they could do that, I was planning to get married to Merlin. We were in love, and I’ve been discussing it with him. It was bound to happen anyway, I was just speeding it along. "Merlin!" I called out, opening another door. I was just about to open another door when my eyes caught a whiff of his curly golden hair, turning back to see if it was him. A smile lit up the corners of my lips as I moved towards him, about to utter his name when my feet halted, the sight in front of me causing all the music to die down. My heart tightened in my chest, my lungs unable to take in any more air. "Merlin... my significant other... I finally found you," she continued to says. "Yes, Arya, I never dreamed that a princess as beautiful as you would be my significant other. I thought Alison was my best choice. But I was wrong..." "You know, I really want Alison to see this now. Her face will definitely be as red as her hair." Alia smiled evilly. I couldn’t bear it any longer. "You…you’re mates.." I uttered, both of their heads snapping towards me instantly. A tear slid down my eyes, my lips quivering so bad as my eyes met with Merlin’s deep green own. "What are you doing here?" He growled, dropping Arya’s arm. "You…you’re mates.." I repeated, unable to keep that realization from my head. "What are you doing here, Allison!" He growled again, rushing towards me and immediately slamming my back to the wall. More tears dropped from my eyes, rolling down my cheeks. The man I was supposed to marry, my own man… "Do you think we had anything going?" He scoffed out, releasing his grip on me. "I told you babe, you should have cut it off immediately. Now you’ve given her false hope, thinking that a cruel useless being like her is deserving of love. Urgh, poor Allison.." I heard Arya mock. "I never wanted you, Allison. You’re cursed. Your hair is Red . Your eyes are too Red. Who wants to mate with someone like that?" "Such a delusional girl." Arya added, the mockery in her voice evident. The minute that statement left her mouth, my wolf growled within me, anger consuming me entirely. My claws elongated, catching Merlin off guard as I used my entire energy to push him away. I was just about to claw her face, so close to the fear that was evident in her widened eyes when I felt a force from my back, pushing me to the ground. "Are you out of your mind!" My mother yelled out. "Get up." The alpha, my father said. I ignored all the pain oozing out of every part of my body, picking myself up,trying my hardest to stifle the rumble of anger coursing through me as I stood up, facing the three of them. "Your sister is mated to Merlin. They are mates, and in no nonsense of yours should you try anything stupid." "Anything stupid…" I uttered, my voice breaking as hot tears filled my eyes. "He was…we were.. "That’s none of my business, if you had not been a bad woman, things would not be this way.." "Fat.. A hot slap landed on my cheeks instantly, "I am not your father." He growled at me. "Now, offer your blessings to them before I throw you out of my pack and you don’t want to dare me." I looked up at him, anger clouding my judgment and making me say words I wished never left for my mouth because of what happened next. I looked him in the eye, my red orbs a stark contrast to his brown orbs, snarled at him before saying, "And what if I don’t?" ALLISON’S POV. Saying those words to my father did not end well for me at all. Two hot slaps to my face, plenty kicks to my stomach and not to talk of the ridicule and embarrassment he put me through. I downed the third bottle, the tears that were threatening to spill burning at the back of my throat. My chest was physically hurting and also internally hurting. In one night, the night I had thought everything would change, everything has gone from changing to a more wrecking disaster. After my father got his fill with me, he made me bless the union of my sister and my boyfriend, the words I hated myself so bad for saying ringing in my head, making me clench the bottle in my hand harder. "I, Allison Stark, bless the union of both of you, and wish you a happy life." Why? Why was the moon goddess cruel to me? Why was the world entirely cruel to me? I blinked at the same time I sniffed, the tears getting their way out as another batch rose in my lids. My father’s words rang in my head, the situation I had tried so hard to avoid finally in my front. "Tomorrow you’ll partake in the Wolf’s king bridal ceremony. I have no freaking use for a curse like you. All you do is take more and more out of us and you give us nothing in return!" The wolf’s king’s bridal ceremony was an event hosted for the most cruel wolf in the world. The alpha of all alphas, king of the entire wolf community and it was always a bloody ceremony. The ceremony was just for him picking his new sleep-buddies, women, degraded to nothing but that. I massaged my throat where my father’s fingerprint lied, "and if you dare.." he had said, "if you dare try to do anything funny, I will kill you, Allison, you’ve never been my daughter and I have never cared for you, I won’t start caring now." He spat before they all turned to leave. I remembered watching Merlin intertwine his hands with Arya, asking her if she’s okay, kissing her cheeks the same way he used to kiss mine. The memory was all too hot, too painful. He was the one thing I thought I had in this world, in this cruel cruel wolf world. And he was gone. Just like that. He was gone. And I was alone. Again. "Hmm…" I sobbed quietly, drinking more and more of the alcohol. I had no idea if it was the rush from downing the alcohol or something else but my stomach churned almost immediately, my bum leaving the chair as I rushed to the toilet, spilling my guts into the sink. A strong scent wafted into my nose the same time a strong hand touched my back. Everything in my body became heightened, my wolf whining in my head. I looked up to the mirror to see a set of golden orbs looking straight back at me, his gaze deep with a desire. "You… "Mate!" My wolf rang in my head. I stared at him through the mirror, unable to take my eyes off him. His hair was neat, a part of it falling to his face to cover one of his eyes. His jaw was tense and strong, his lips pursed and tightly closed. His aura was suffocating, strong and filled with something we both needed. I gulped down, ignoring every alarm bell ringing in my head as I turned to look at him. His hand that was resting on my back slipped but I could still feel his print there. "Who are.. He didn’t allow me to finish as he crashed his lips on mine, biting hard on my lower lip and gaining entrance to my mouth. It must be the mate bond because every part of my body went on fire the minute his tongue locked with mine, kissing him back fiercely. His scent was stronger, filling me in, urging my desires more and more. He lifted me up with just a scoop and I swear when he opened the toilet door the bar was already very quiet. His hand roamed around my body, touching every part of me and arousing every hair on my skin. He dropped me to the bed, how we got there I had no idea. I was hot and wild. I had no idea who this man was, the only thing calming me down was that he was my mate and he desired me as much as I also desired him at the moment. The minute his trouser went down and he climbed back to the bed, "what’s your name?" His deep voice hushed around my ear, his tongue taking a swipe around my ear that made my back arch. "Please.." "Tell me your name and I’ll continue this. You belong to me now. I want you. Tell me.. "Allison." I cut him off. "You’re mine now." Those were the last words we said to each other as his teeth sank down to my neck, and the night went down in insatiable rage and desire for each other. * I was the first to wake up the next morning, my eyes opening to an extremely dark room. I stood up and made my way to the bathroom, hoping to relieve myself when I saw it, the mark on my neck, the one I could see right in the mirror staring at me. My heart dropped down to my stomach, my body tensing instantly. Fear crawled down my spine as I immediately started scratching the part, "no..no…no…this can’t be.." I muttered to myself, panic lacing every action of mine. I knew this mark too well. I have read and read on it. It was the mark only wolf king could give. A bite that was different from the rest, showing that their Luna and mate is different from the rest. "No..no.." I don’t want a life with a wolf king. To be subjected to such torture, such life where I would be nothing but a mere slave and a mere Luna. I rushed out, finding my clothes hastily as I wore them. "I need to leave. I need to leave. I need to run. I need to leave. I need to get out. I…" I kept muttering the words to myself, trying to quickly figure everything out. I was on my way out the door when I saw a black wallet on the night stand. My hand grabbed it, opened it and my eyes widened at the wads of cash laying there. "I..Allison..reject whatever your name is. I can’t be your luna. And I’m very sorry." I was going to leave here, I was going to run from the wolf world and start another for myself. I approached him carefully, counting my steps not to wake him up. My wolf whined sadly as I leaned and pecked his forehead, gulping down painfully. "I just can’t.." I muttered. I counted my steps out of the room, evading quietly. I didn’t look back until I got to the pack border where I took a long last look at the place where I had grown up to hate. One day. One day when I’m better, I’ll come back and burn everyone who did me wrong to the ground. DANIEL(ALPHA KING’S POV) I was boiling with rage, my hand on my feet as I repeatedly kept tapping on the foot of the chair. Allison. Allison. Allison. That was what my mate’s name sounded like. That was what her parents named her. I was furious and at the same time mesmerized by her actions. After a played night with me, she didn’t only have the effrontery to run away but she still picked up my wallet, my entire cash I had brought on this trip, not that I couldn’t get more but she still had to take it all and run off. A laugh found its way out of my throat as the corners of my lips tugged up. I couldn’t wait to see her and fit her under my shoulder and take her home. I could not remember anything she looked like, or sounded like. The only time I heard her voice was when she told me her name. Like how her hair was pitch redb and the mark on her stomach. "Your highness, we’re here." My beta, Kai announced. I looked outside the car to find people standing there, people in her pack, or probably her parents. In the search that my beta, Kai did, he found out she was the second daughter of their pack, and for some weird reason people of the pack don’t like her. I was still searching all of them when my eyes fell on a particular black haired, my eyes squinting at the shaking and trembling of her hands. A smile lit up my lips. Of course, she had to be scared. She stole from me and also ran off. Seeing her standing there made my heart rumble, something that wasn’t supposed to happen. I shoved the rest of the audacious smile down my throat, stepping out of the car. "You fancy her, don’t you?" The smug voice of my wolf sounded in my head. "Don’t hope too much. I don’t want anything to do with her." "Words of a liar." My wolf added, a little whine before his voice totally disappeared. Of course I fancy her, she was my mate! My mate! A man rushed to my front, crashing down to his knees and bowing instantly, "Alpha king, we had no idea… we had no idea you were coming..if we… "Bring her to me." I cut him off, my eyes focused on one person and one person only. He stood up quickly, my eyes falling down to look down at him. I knew I was ridiculously tall, but never in my life have I met an alpha as ridiculously short as he is. I shoved him out of the way, my long legs striding towards the girl. Oh God, I loved the effect I had on her. "Please! Please don’t come!" She yelled out, turning her back to run when I used my wolf-speed and caught up to her. The first thing that died down was all my hope, the tingling in my heart and the smile I had on my face. The minute our eyes met, I figured instantly and anger rumbled within me. I clenched my jaw so hard, "who are you?" "I…I’m..Allison…" I grabbed her jaw, my wolf coming back to my head. He was much as angry as I am. He was expecting to see her. "You’re not her. So I would ask you for the last time, who are you!" I yelled to her face, gripping her jaw harder. "I’m terribly sorry, Your Highness," an elderly woman suddenly rushed out, crouching beside me, her voice filled with fear. "She is my young daughter, Arya. Please spare her..." I released the lady in front of me and turned to the older woman, who must be Arya’s mother. "Where is she? I mean the real Allison!" I roared, having no patience left for their act. "She…" I looked back to the girl in front of me and suddenly saw a different color sneaking out of her red hair. My brows furrowed as a suspicion crept into my mind, removing her wig instantly. A loud gasp left her mouth, but it just intensified my anger. "Why are you dressed this way? What is going on in this pack!" I growled, my eyes roaming around to look at every one of them. "I..I don’t want to be your lover. I have a mate already. I just thought if I dress like Allison, she’s like a witch, I thought if I dressed like her, you would not want me. Please.." the lady begged, going down on her knees, "please don’t take me..please.." Disgust swarmed into my bloodstream at her nonsense act, but a torch of light filled me up at the information of what my mate was, "where is the other girl? Where is Allison?" I asked, trying to hide my interest. "My lord, how did you come to know Allison?" I clenched my jaw, irritation mixing with all the other emotions I was having already. "Your second daughter is a thief. I want to punish her." "Nope.." I cut in again, "I need to punish her." "Liar, you need to see her." My wolf whispered. "I knew it, father! I knew she was up to something bad again." The lady kneeling in front of me suddenly said. She looked at me, our eyes meeting for the second time, "Allison is a witch. A curse on your highness. She was angry last night and I knew she must have gone up to do something bad. Your highness, it would be better to find another woman than to waste your time on Allison, she’s a lost cause. A disaster. A… "Arya!" My head snapped to meet the alpha’s hot headed eyes, "why was she angry last night?" He passed an angry look to the lady called Arya before meeting my gaze again, "Your highness, it was nothing. Her sister here Arya is mated to her lover and she found out last night. She was angry and she thought it was a betrayal.. "It is a betrayal." I finished for him. My mind cackled at all the information I had gotten from them. I stepped away from both sister and mother, stepping down to the bare ground, "so where is she now?" "We…we haven’t seen her since last night. She must have ran off." A grin graced my lips, shocking my core. I clenched my fist to my back, trying to control my anger, "so not only did you betray her, you treated her like nobody to the point where she ran away from the house… "Your highness.." "Kai, do we have any affiliations to this pack?" My beta rushed towards me, "yes, we have some, not..many." My eyes darkened as I looked at every one of them. I was happy, something that rarely happened. I was looking forward to seeing her again, the more I thought of it the angrier I got. And yet because of the way they treated her, my mate slipped away from my hand, even before I could have a normal conversation with her. "I’ll definitely be in touch with you people. You would hate yourself for what you did.. "Your highness.. "My lord.. "Wolf king.. I turned my back at them, my feets moving hastily and anger pounding in my drum ears. Allison.. Allison.. her name kept sounding in my ear, a familiar tune I was about to get used to. "Find her, Kai. I want you to search every nook and cranny of every wolf kingdom. She’s my Luna. She would be your queen. Find her." SIX YEARS LATER. ALLISON’S POV. "Like I said and I’ve been saying, this project that we’re trying to make right now is like a calming agent. We all know wolves have difficulties leaving their mates. We all want to travel, go to luxurious places. Sometimes they have businesses to attend to and yet can’t go because their mates can’t afford to leave them." "This agent is just something that makes it easier. You can go as far as a hundred meters from your mate and not even feel it." Cheers erupted from the crowd, the reporters swarming to jot something down while some muttered something within each other. "Asides that Miss Hardin, there has been a question we’ve all been trying to ask. It has been four to five years now yet we’ve not seen a husband. Are you keeping it from us?" They all laughed, something I found incredibly stupid. I rolled my eyes inwardly at the question. I was expecting the question already. I put on a smile, looking straight at the reporter that asked through my glasses, "as you know, I’m a single mother of three, and I love my children so much. I don’t intend on jeopardizing their happiness for some fling or something called marriage. I intend on being a hot, single mother of three and a businesswoman till the end." I bowed to all of them, turning my back to leave and ignoring their yells. Six years. Six years of groundbreaking hard work. Six years of dedicating my life to my kids and to figuring out something for my life and yet what they want and expect me to do is to be "….a happily married woman." I mocked, throwing my bag into my car and slamming the door. I dropped my head on the wheel, exhaling a sharp breath. I never thought I would get to this stage. If someone had asked Allison who was madly in love with Merlin and hated by her entire family, she would never have seen this. I was now the top most business woman, Allison Hardin, a medical professional and researcher of the Wolf industry, highly respected and regarded and also, a mother of three. After getting to the human world, I discovered I was pregnant two months later and that was when life came crashing down. After numerous debts from both of my friends, Aurora and Shirley, and almost dying from giving birth to three bouncing babies, two boys and a girl. I decided to return to school. I bagged my degree, bagged another and another and built the company with Aurora. Sometimes I wish I could go back home and rub into their face that the famous witch is the owner of what they were all looking forward to, the agent that makes them stay away from their mates. And also break mate bonds. I drove out of the park, speeding across the highway with a slow music blasting from the speaker. I was a high Lana del ray fan. Her music speaks to me, keeps me calm and makes my heart flutter. The reporter’s question kept running through my mind. Do I need a husband? Am I not good enough without any? Was I ready to love again? All those questions and many more swarmed my head. After Merlin’s betrayal, men had never looked the same in my eye again. It didn’t take long for me to get home, the security opening the gate and bowing as I drove to the front of the house. My vallet was already waiting for me, opening the door as I stepped down and collected the car key from me. "I want the black Porsche prepared for tomorrow, the driver for the kids would be here." "Yes, ma’am." Happiness swarmed within me at every step I took towards the house. My children were sitting inside, waiting for me. They were the joy and happiness of my life, my motivation to keep going. I sneaked into the house, a bouncy smile on my face because I wanted to shock them. I moved my legs one after the other, my lips tightly folded. My smile grew bigger as I saw their three heads, mushed against each other with a stark contrast of hair color. I was about to yell out and scare them when the tv words caught my interest, "The wolf king, Daniel Milano, has announced the search for his mate AGAIN." The reporter started, stressing the word again. "This time it’s more urgent as this would be his last year being the wolf king as an ultimatum has been passed to him. If he doesn’t find his mate, then he’ll simply be removed. He has asked women of different race and positions, both human and wolves to fill an online form as there would be a meeting of mates." "Turn that off." I muttered, fear crawling through my spine. Their heads whipped towards me at the same time, a loud cry of ’mummy’ filling the air as they rushed towards me. "Did you hear that, mummy? The wolf king is searching for his mate." "You should fill the form, mummy. You’re a queen already, you should be the Luna queen and rule the world!" One of them said, I looked down at them, smiling quickly and ignoring the beads of sweats forming at my back. "Why would mummy want to be a queen? He’s undeserving of her. Mummy can be our queen alone." My daughter, Lena said, clearing my mind as I smiled happily at them. I crouched to look at them, shoving my spit down my throat, "mummy is not going anywhere okay, mummy is here for you over and over again. I don’t need to be a queen for anyone when I have you guys." Their hearty giggles made my heart warm as they all hugged me, talking over each other and recounting their days to me. Yet the only thing on my mind was how different this search was, making me scared. For years he has always limited his search to the wolf world, not bringing it close to the human world at all. But this time, this time.. It was different. As if he was very close, and very near to finding me. "Mom, are you okay?" Lena asked, her eyes full of concern. "Do you need me to do anything for you?" "I’m fine," I smiled and kissed her cheek gently. "I’m alright, dear. You don’t need to do anything." Lena was always the first to sense my emotions, not just because she’s a girl, but because she was born with magical abilities. To spare me from the pain of being away from my mate, she had used her powers multiple times to help me get through the full moon heats, but her body had become increasingly frail. She was noticeably thinner than her twin brother. I went over and hugged her again. "Lena! Promise me you won’t use your abilities anymore. You know, mom has successfully developed a potion." ALLISON’S POV "What’s your name? Tell me your name and I’ll continue…" I looked right into his eyes, my wolf screaming "mate, mate, mate" in my head. "I need to know your name…" His teeth grazed my skin, and instead of the usual fear of a mate marking you, it only made my body hotter. "Allison… please, Allison…" "Good girl…" I opened my eyes to find myself in bed, soaked in sweat, my heart racing madly in my chest. I closed my eyes, heaving a deep breath as my head fell back onto the pillow. Two weeks since that announcement, and I’ve been dreaming of him ever since. Since that announcement was made two weeks ago, I’ve been dreaming about him ever since. My children would have had their father. And I would have either become wealthy or a slave, just like the other girls he chooses each year. I got out of bed, ignoring the dream and the wanting in my body. I mocked the wanting me in the mirror, the dyed black hair clashing with the golden colored contacts. Over the years, I’ve changed everything that reminded me of Allison. The girl who was always mocked by her sister and peers. The girl without parents. The girl was betrayed by her lover. I stepped into the shower, applying more dye to my hair before bathing. Suddenly, my phone rang . It was Aurora. "Hey, sexiest female billionaire, ready to return to the jungle and continue being the queen?" Aurora joked with me. I laughed, Aurora’s jokes lightening my burden. I believed she hadn’t received any news about the Alpha King at the company, otherwise she would have told me. My bigger worry was that my previous exposure might have caught the Alpha King’s attention, but that night, I believed with the dim lighting he couldn’t have made out my features. And for the past two weeks, I haven’t left home, choosing to work remotely. With the successful launch, my anxiety and workload have both decreased significantly. Although Aurora was puzzled by my decision, she still respected me. She told me I must have had good enough reasons to do so. Two weeks have passed, and my surveillance hasn’t shown any suspicious figures either. I told Aurora I would be there on time. I dressed quickly once I was done. Today was the launch of the agent, or the test, and Aurora had called me multiple times while I was having my dream about my supposed mate. I settled for a ridiculously long black skirt, pairing it with a short white crop top that revealed my cleavage, and grabbed a white shirt to use as a jacket. I paired it with my expensive heels, combing my hair into a bun. The children were at school, so there was no need for any afternoon pecking or kisses before I left. The car was already in front of the house, the key passed to me by Nicole, my valet. "Have a nice day, Nicole." "And you too, ma’am." As I drove out of the gated community, the black gates closed behind me. I turned on the Bluetooth and started playing "Born to Die" by my favorite singer Lana Del Rey. I swayed my arms along with the music, but suddenly, a small deer darted out in front of my car as I was exiting the residential area. I slammed on the brakes hard. As I was about to check if I had hit it, four men wearing the Royal Guard insignia approached and blocked my way. My heart sank. I quickly grabbed my phone, my hands trembling terribly. The sight of the uniform rang bells in my head, making my body shake vigorously. Nope… nope… this could not be happening. One of them walked towards me, tapping on my car window. I swallowed nervously before rolling it down. "Hi… how may I help you?" I asked with a faltering smile. He looked at his partner, who walked over with a paper in his hand. He collected the paper, rolling it open for me. "You have been selected." Deep lines edged my forehead as my eyes scanned the paper. He snapped it away before I could finish. "Didn’t you apply to be the wolf king’s Luna?" His next words confirmed my past fear of the last two weeks, the crippling anxiety I had been feeling that he was too close to me. "The wolf king wants to meet you, immediately." Allison’s POV. Those words made my heart sink to the pit of my stomach, a chill running down my spine as invisible sweat seeped from my throat. "Um...sorry...pardon?" My instincts kept me composed. I was certain they must have made a mistake - I had dyed my hair, changed my last name, I had never let the Alpha King get a clear look at my features. Most importantly, I had not filled out any application forms, how could I have voluntarily applied? "You must have the wrong person. If you noticed the King’s proclamation, then when you saw the color of my hair, you would have realized your mistake." "Allison Harding." The guard leaned in again, his gaze returning to the name on the form. "Isn’t that your name?" "Yes, but surely I can’t be the only one with this name," I argued again. But his eyes moved from the photo on the application back to my face. His expression grew impatient, as if I was toying with him. "Do not challenge the Alpha King’s authority, your every action will impact your loved ones or friends." With that, he tossed the application at me. My eyes scanned the form, first noticing my name printed in bold black letters - Miss Allison Harding. My age was bolded - 26, my occupation, my gender, everything about me printed there. I looked to the bottom right corner, and there was my photo, my face an exact match but my hair clearly photoshopped to the fiery red it had been back in the pack. My fingers trembled as it all showed I had voluntarily applied to be a luna candidate. "Listen, my black hair is proof enough. If I really wanted to enter the courtship, I would have dyed it red. This has to be some prank!" "Those are not our orders. We’re simply tasked with bringing you to the palace." The guard stated flatly, not listening to any of my protests as he yanked me from the car. I knew resisting now would only make things worse, my gaze returning to the four muscular wolf guards - I was certain my current abilities were no match to escape them. "I’ll go with you." The guard said nothing, merely summoning a luxury vehicle bearing the royal crest. As I approached, one guard ran ahead to open the rear left door for me. "Don’t worry about your car, we’ll have someone take care of it," one guard said as I got in. I couldn’t hear his words, as the car moved forward the fear from six years ago when I fled the Alpha King’s side became viscerally clear again. That night it had rained heavily, every jolt of the taxi making me think the Alpha King had caught up in a furious rage. And for six years I had been on the run, ensuring I wouldn’t be found, hiding myself away, coloring myself, taking on a new name. As I weighed my options, my heart pounded rapidly in my chest. I ran from him. The scenes from that night played vividly - I had stolen from him, left him with nothing. If he didn’t torture me for stealing from him, he would surely kill me for the anguish I had caused him these six years. "At least he might kill you in bed," my wolf whimpered, and I angrily cut her off, in no mood for her jokes. I hadn’t come up with a better way to escape death when the car stopped before an ornate estate’s gates. It was clearly the territory of the Alpha Wolf King. "Miss Harding, we’ve arrived," a guard said, getting out and opening my door. I hesitated to exit, but the guard saw through me, yanking me out directly. "Miss Harding, please come with us." A maid in palace attire nodded to the four guards before approaching me. Looking around at the heavily guarded palace grounds, I realized I had no chance of escape. "Maybe the Alpha King can’t even feel our connection anymore," I reassured myself. "Otherwise, how could he bear six years of separation?" It was very possible. When I first left, I felt agonizing pain. I had separation anxiety from leaving my wolf. It was most painful when I was pregnant, craving and wanting him, but unable to have him. After giving birth, the pain was even worse, until I eventually lost the entire wolf scent. As if he never mattered, was never there. I believed the Alpha King likely felt the same way. "Allyson! We should give our mate a chance to get reacquainted, you know, maybe he’s not so bad," my wolf grumbled unhappily. Maybe, but I’m certain that’s not the life I want. After being put down for twenty years, I won’t endure hardship just for a man’s protection. I need to be able to control my own life, to live by my own rules, not someone else’s. I was placed in a room with a large mirror in front of me. I sat facing the mirror, seeing only my own reflection, but I knew it was a one-way mirror. The interrogation-like setup made me anxious. Suddenly, the muffled noises behind the mirror stopped, replaced by heavy, deliberate footsteps. Then, I felt an overwhelming presence. My heart started pounding louder. I forgot to breathe. He’s here. He’s my mate. He’s the one I stole from. He’s also the father of my child. He’s in this room. I swallowed hard and sat down, staring at the one-way glass in front of me. My heart raced, and any sound or movement might make it beat even faster. I was ready with every apology, every excuse—this was all a mistake—but every word, every thought got twisted in my head. I couldn’t take my eyes off the one-way glass as a wave of emotion surged inside me. He’s watching me. He’s staring right at me. “Allison.” The sound of his deep, sweet voice made every nerve in my body stop. I closed my eyes, parted my lips to speak, but then his voice came again, confirming my worst fears. “Your red hair looks much better than any color you think it does now.” He recognized me. Daniel’s Perspective I stood in the dimly lit room, my eyes fixed on the other side of the one-way mirror. She sat there, breathtakingly beautiful. Her body was all curves in the right places, and she wore a tight black dress that clung to her hourglass figure. Her long legs were straight and shapely. The only flaw was that she’d dyed her hair a low-key black instead of the fiery red it once was. Six years of searching, countless lonely nights—I’d fall asleep thinking of that fiery red hair. When I realized she had left me on purpose, my anger was uncontrollable. I scoured every wolf pack looking for her, but it was all in vain. I endured the agony of being separated from my mate. When my subordinates told me there was now a medicine that could ease the effects of mate separation, I refused to take it. That bone-deep yearning and pain were the only things keeping me focused, driving me to find her. When I saw her face on the news, promoting that medicine, I shattered the screen in front of me. I immediately ordered my men to announce a mate selection event. Now she’s finally here, right in front of me. “Tonight, she’s going to learn the price of playing games with me,” I murmured, locking eyes with her. Allison’s POV The air was thick and silent as he stepped out from where he was staying, our eyes meeting instantly. I could feel something drum in my heart, my stomach, my mind, my head, every part of my body. It felt different. Just like that night. He had grown, and not in a bad way. Or probably because I didn’t see him well that night but he was handsome. Despite whatever was going on, my heart could not deny that, it would seem as though I was lying to myself. His green eyes stared directly into mine, his gaze intense and hot, looking at me as if he could read everything I had planned, as if he knew everything I was about to do. He stared at me in a way that dared me to defy him, that dared me to talk back to him and that if I did, he would unleash the fury he has been keeping for the past six years. So I did the opposite, I didn’t say anything as he walked towards me. He stopped in front of the table and plopped into the chair in front of me, his eyes not leaving mine for once. He clenched his jaw hard and long, his nose flaring for a bit before his lips curled up, "Six years, Allison." He muttered. I gulped down, ignoring the way I felt down there as my name rolled off his tongue. Ignoring the perfect and delicious scent of his wafting into my nose and making my thighs clench. "Your highness," I gulped down, fisting my hands to my laps. "I have no idea how everything came to place. I had no idea who applied for this or who was messing with me. All of this.." I said, depicting my hand by rounding it all over the table, "is a terrible mistake and one that we shouldn’t waste time on. I didn’t apply for this. I’m a successful businesswoman.. "Of course. With the money you stole from my wallet, you are successful." He cut me off, his lips stretched into a thin smile. He leaned close to me, his hands propped on the table. My lips watered at the fine line of veins on his outstretched palms, "how about we cut to the chase, Allison? If you think everyone can forget you, I cannot." His gaze turned serious all of a sudden, sharp and dangerous. "You stole from me." "This is all a mistake." I shook my head, ignoring the warning blares in my head that I should just stop lying and tell the truth. "And you didn’t only steal from me, you stole, you slept with me and you ran off, leaving me alone and making me look like a fool for the past six years." He growled lightly at the end of his sentence, a grin plastered on his face, "I should kill you for what you did." My eyes widened instantly, my heart rising to a fault, "all this is a mistake, alpha king. I don’t know what you’re talking about! I have.. "I swear on the goddess’ name, if you lie to me again, I will cut your tongue and feed it to my hungry dogs and I would personally burn your body myself." I zipped my mouth, relaxing right into the chair back. I blinked away from him, my eyes moving everywhere asides him. "I should actually kill you." I heard him say, "but I would not. I have an offer for you." I looked back at him, my ears attentive and my entire body on edge. He knew me. He recognized me. He’s not killing me. All I have to do is get this offer, and forget that I ever met and everything like this happened. "What is it?" I asked quietly. I hated the smug smile on his face as he relaxed back into his chair, withdrawing his long hands that I badly wanted to trace the veins on them to himself and folding it on his chest, "so are you agreeing that you’re the Allison that stole from me, Allison?" I clenched my jaw, not wavering for a bit, "what’s your offer?" "Be my Luna Queen." He said without hesitation. "Be my Luna Queen, and I’ll forgive you for what you did six years ago. I’ll let you be. I’ll not do anything." It felt like a stupid joke at first. I laughed out, not caring where I was or the situation I was under. It was all funny to me. The sound of my laughter filled the room, the way his eyebrows raised in curiosity, his eyes gazing at me like I was a fool. "You must be joking." "And you must think I’m joking." He retorted. The laughter died down, left with an opened mouth and a surprise widened eyes, "I cannot be your Luna Queen." "Give me reasons." I was still in shock, our eyes boring into each other’s. I could not even bring myself to close my mouth, or to think at all. "I just cannot be your Luna Queen." "Then tell me why." "Because I don’t have a wolf!" I yelled to his face, my heart hurting a bit at those words. "I can’t transform." I continued, "I lost the ability to shift to my wolf a long time ago. I don’t know how to do anything. I don’t. I’m just not capable of being your Luna Queen. Not a wolfless person like me." It was his turn for his bounty sounds to fill the room, his mouth open, the mockery and seriousness of his words entangled in one whole form of expression; laughter. "I’m not joking with you, Allison. And this is not a suggestion. You are to be my Luna Queen." "And I’m saying no! I do not want to be your Luna Queen!" I stood my ground, snapping right to his face. The air in the room went tense immediately, his green eyes narrowing down on me as they darkened. Deep lines grazed his cheeks and his forehead hard and pointed at his clenched jaw. "Don’t test me, Allison." "And don’t test me too, wolf king. I am not… He slammed his hand angrily on the table. His eyes wide with anger and steam blowing from his ears. His eyes were no longer the normal green colour. It was now very red, the fire and fury burning in them. The door opened and cut the tension in the air, the silence replaced by the familiar sound of my ringtone. "Her phone." She placed it on the table and the moment my eyes went to it, every anger or irritation that has been burning within me died down immediately. My fingers moved swiftly to quickly cut the call only for the voice of Lena to spring up in the air. "Mummy, where are you?" "Mummy!!" "Mummy!" Leo called out. "Mummy, they did something very bad. Leo and Liam did something. Are you fine? Did they come for you?" A chuckle escaped Daniel’s lips, both of us exchanging a glance instantly. "They submitted that form for you." "Mommy, are you okay?" I cut the call immediately, gulping down as my head started ransacking every excuse I could use to back out. I had lied I didn’t submit the form, the truth was out already. "Tell me Allison… "Your highness, I’m a single mom of three, no one wants to have a Luna that has three children already. I can’t. Consider. "Allison…" he called out. I looked at him, our eyes into each other, "are those children mine?" -------------------------------- Open the app and continue reading the rest of the story . 👉 (It will automatically jump to the book when you open the app) 💕Due to FB has a limit on the amount of text, Pls Download Dreame to read Full version 💕<Taking Alpha’s Triplet Away> on Dreame	LEARN_MORE	https://m.dreame.com/novel/1576688896?auto_jump=tr	Dreame Story Here	https://www.facebook.com/100091450006035/	3,560	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	m.dreame.com	DCO		https://m.dreame.com/novel/1576688896?auto_jump=true&utm_source=facebook_ads&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&af_c_id={{campaign.id}}&af_adset_id={{adset.id}}&af_ad_id={{ad.id}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463608975_1712847136233658_5295448232334386898_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=OuEa_lYd-AcQ7kNvgGqMCZz&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AKJZMSbvyJBjsoJL6yq8Vnq&oh=00_AYAiFhCj5zDiCK3XxrUebRLG9xPi2hdOOKnCkk7K7vWUoQ&oe=671B6332	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Dreame Story Here	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
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2,253,688	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 20:24	active	1670	Read next chapter👉	“President, look at your ex-wife’s social media platform!” "Leaving the capital has nothing to do with me!" "In the photo, she is holding a child who looks very similar to you. Doesn't it matter?" He immediately dropped the document and rushed out! ============= Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom." Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?" Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. At that time, Mitchel's grandfather fell seriously ill. It was then he proposed a fake marriage just to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get married to the man she had a crush on for eight years. She delightfully agreed. After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. Raegan wished she could spend more time with him at home. However, she was rest assured because there hadn't been any rumors or scandals about him with women in the past two years. Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. She also wanted to tell him that she hadn't learned about him for the first time two years ago and that she had been crushing on him for many years before then. Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? Mitchel spent a few minutes on the balcony. Thereafter, he returned and changed into formal attire. His handsome face which had a clear outline made him look dignified. He was something to see now. "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. What? He was on his way out? At this hour? Raegan's grip on the report tightened as she stared at him in disappointment. Unconsciously, she withdrew slightly. After thinking for a while, she blurted out, "It's already so late." Mitchel's fingers froze on his tie. With a faint smile, he pinched her earlobe and said, "Be good, okay? There's something I have to do. Don't wait up." With that, he headed for the door. "Mitchel." Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter?" There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?" Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. However, she wasn't interested in them. She was about to swipe them away when one of them caught her attention. The familiar name made her click on it. The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today." Lauren was wearing a bucket hat. The man's figure was vague, but the outline of his body was enough to show that he was dashing. Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. Mitchel was the man in the picture! So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. The dial tone brought her back to her senses. Just as she was about to hang up, the line connected, and a voice came from the other end. "Hello!" It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. Since inception, only male assistants were hired for the president's office. Reagan was the first and only female. Her employment broke the protocol. As a result, other workers couldn't help but wonder if she was involved with Mitchel. It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks. At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel? Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. Raegan tried to remain calm now. She reasoned that no matter what happened, she deserved a result that would be rewarding for all the years she spent loving Mitchel. This couldn't be all for nothing, right? She pressed the elevator button calmly and went up to the president's office. Before she walked out of the elevator, she smoothed her hair to make sure she looked good. She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?" The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. "You know exactly what I mean!" Luis clicked his tongue impatiently and added, "I think Raegan is a good girl. Isn't she your type?" "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. "You know what, forget it!" The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. They were talking about her as if she were an object. Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?" "Yes." "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her." Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..." Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. The woman was indeed Lauren! Absence made the heart grow fonder! Every word drove a knife into her heart. Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. "Raegan?" Chapter 2 One-sided Love Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!" Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it." Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. It wasn't until she went out of sight that Luis turned to Mitchel and said in a hushed tone, "Do you think she heard us?" Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. In the elevator. Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. Several employees were chatting inside. "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back." "And who is that?" "Oh, my! You don't know her? Lauren is the heiress of the Murray Group as well as a world-class designer. Most importantly, she's the only girlfriend Mr. Dixon has ever shown off in public. She's his first love!" "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?" "Raegan? She's nothing to Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon never admitted that he was dating her. And that is no surprise to me. After all, look at her. She's not even that beautiful. Yet, she behaves as if she's already Mrs. Dixon. What a fool!" Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. The love was one-sided. "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?" A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Tessa uttered sarcastically, "Lauren is back now. Do you think Mitchel will still give you any attention?" Raegan said nothing to that. Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool." Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself." "You..." Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. Raegan didn't think for a second that Tessa would do something so crazy. She held up her arms just to block the liquid from her face. In no time, the coffee drenched her clothes. Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?" It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. She put on a mean-girl look as she said, "What makes you so smug every day, huh? Do you seriously think that others don't know you are just an orphan? The nerve of..." Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!" Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness." Indeed, she lost her parents when she was a child. But that didn't mean she would allow someone to walk over her for it. Wrinkles appeared on Tessa's face as she frowned in anger. As Mitchel's cousin, she was used to being fawned over and respected. This was the first time she had been treated like this. Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?" These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. "That's enough!" Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. The entire room fell silent. "Mitchel?" Tessa's blood ran cold at the sight of Mitchel. She had always been scared of him. Her mother also warned her against provoking him. But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me." The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. Their gaze met in the air. With a deep frown, Mitchel looked at Raegan and said, "Raegan, have you forgotten the rules of the company?" His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. No one dared to make a sound at this moment. Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. When she got employed here, Mitchel had told her that the Dixon Group wasn't a place for her to mess around and that he would not tolerate her making any mistakes. Raegan could understand why he took this stand. However, at this moment, she was desperate to know whether Mitchel had heard those hard words Tessa scolded her or he was just pretending not to have heard because he agreed to those words. Was she truly insignificant to him? Scared to death by Mitchel's rage, the crowd soon dispersed. A few employees were bold enough to peep from a distance, unwilling to miss the good show. Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you." Eyeing Raegan, Tessa raised her chin complacently. "Humph! Don't think you'll be let off the hook just by making a simple apology. I don't buy..." "The offence has nothing to do with the company. Personally, I refuse to apologize to you. Now, if you'd excuse me," Raegan chimed in. She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. "You..." Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. Pointing in Raegan's direction, Tessa shouted, "Mitchel, did you hear what that woman just said? She humiliated me, yet she's still so arrogant. Call her back. I have to teach her some manners!" Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. As someone who lived and breathed drama and cruelty, Tessa didn't think Mitchel was partial to Raegan just now. She assumed that Mitchel didn't care about Raegan at all. Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson." "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. Tessa trembled at once. With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone." The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..." Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards." Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here." Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please." It wasn't until this moment that Tessa realized that she was the irrelevant person Mitchel just mentioned. She tried to speak to him, but Matteo blocked her way. The security guards then escorted her out. They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. Closing hour soon rolled by. Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home." Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? Upon arriving at the hospital, Raegan saw that the nurse was about to feed her grandmother dinner. Raegan took the job over and did it by herself. All her life, her grandmother had been living in the countryside, enjoying a quiet life. Everything changed last month when her routine medical checkup showed that she was in need of medical care. Raegan insisted on bringing her to the city for better treatment. Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. Did he come to pick her up? At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. Chapter 3 Let's Divorce Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. She was Lauren. Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?" Raegan was stunned for a moment. She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay." She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. At the time, she had hopes of bringing her grandmother to the city, so she bought the apartment on mortgage. It wasn't that big, but it had more than enough space for two people. Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. Love could move mountains, they said. Yet, her love didn't move that stone of a man. She finally realized what a fool she had been. She had been making herself a laughingstock in front of everyone. It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. His sleeves were rolled up casually, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his long neck and part of his collarbone. He was leaning on the wall by the door, his handsome face straight. Raegan froze for a moment. Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. There were five missed calls from Mitchel. This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. But now, she just threw her phone back into her bag, folded her arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't hear it ring." Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours." After arranging everything for Lauren, he returned home to find an empty house. He looked for Raegan everywhere. When he couldn't find her, he asked Matteo to check the surveillance footage of all the roads that led away from the company. He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. "Next time, tell me when you are coming here, okay? Let's go home now." After that, Mitchel walked toward the elevator without sparing her another glance. He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. Would they have a future? Mitchell turned around, only to see that Raegan hadn't taken a single step. He frowned and asked, "Can't you walk? Do you want me to carry you instead?" The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce." "What do you mean?" Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon." Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. "We will be strangers?" Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?" His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. Mitchel had made it very clear to her from the very beginning. This facade of their marriage had happened by mutual agreement. There was no love. In the eyes of others, they were nothing more than just a superior and a subordinate. Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. His question just now reminded her of that fact. Was he afraid that she wouldn't let him go that easily? If that was the case, he couldn't be more wrong... After biting her lower lip to conceal her bitterness, Raegan said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dixon. I was giving it too much thought. Anyway, please leave me alone from now on. You don't have to come here again." After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. How could she not be sad when she was cutting ties with the man she had loved for a decade? It was such a long time. Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. It was high time she stopped being a fool. Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. His eyes shone like blazing torches at this moment. But when he saw the tears in her eyes, the rage inside him extinguished in an instant. He said in a low voice, "If this is about what happened between you and Tessa, I..." "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now." A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop this, will you?" A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. "You have a fever?" Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. This made the whole situation complicated. Reagan was slow to catch that. When she finally realized that her body was too close to his, she put her hands against his chest and tried to pull back. Before she could escape, Mitchel pulled her back and held her by the waist. With a cold face, he said in a low voice, "Where do you think you are going?" The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. He then headed for the elevator. In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course." "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital. Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. He walked to the elevator with her in his arms. At this moment, Raegan's heart was thumping so hard that it could jump out of her chest. She flailed in protest. "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!" &35&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	Loving reading	https://www.facebook.com/100093132009618/	22,246	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	IMAGE		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=791750052879575&rawadid=120213532491910758	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462913361_1669906023867214_3312545944535312218_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=DM_M_1z14a4Q7kNvgGNPkgB&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AQoRnqUHUhfLcUl6L-EGEGc&oh=00_AYABMP-dX9LRSA1--KOFfLJNZ6WwnCOZELgCLYQlxmYL1g&oe=671B9032	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Loving reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,254,100	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2253880}'	No	2024-10-20 20:26	active	1670	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	The clearing of a throat makes me jump. I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of alcohol. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door. Shrinking down to the ground. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. “Come forward.” He orders. Alpha Trey was going to kill me. I do as I’m told. Allowing him to see me properly and I am met with narrowed crimson eyes. I close my own eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” My head moved up and down, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they discovered the truth about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. “I am…I am a Wolf.” I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? I wasn’t sure how much more my body could take. “How is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever liked to do. They never hear my side of the story. All they do is accept Alpha Trey's word as the truth. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them. There was no way I was making direct eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound.” “Why?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” “For what?” “For killing my parents.”	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	New world publications	https://www.facebook.com/61557831245498/	22	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447959759_1311554859802432_4227718076479884991_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=OQcZqQrlMHEQ7kNvgEjfoj5&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AzMGpKa-rf6gscUPfkMA3xH&oh=00_AYBwR0uLMA2CodmQDwmwpKWb2bfqowwPP8UV7b_zEpi17w&oe=671B669D	PERSON_PROFILE	0	New world publications	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,257,192	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2257187}'	No	2024-10-20 21:25	active	1671			BOOK_TRAVEL	https://partage.vegas/	Partage	https://www.facebook.com/partagelv/	2,364	1969-12-31 18:00	Book Now	partage.vegas	CAROUSEL		https://partage.vegas/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464130455_917025460300184_8597910034875531840_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=BG_UandjKRoQ7kNvgFmqvVl&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AhyJM7s3tMz6iNZpOTRe8kD&oh=00_AYBtIkuMdaYaP87-_90CG99gV13TlheHEjwZhF1aws38dA&oe=671B8AD1	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Partage	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,250,168	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-20 19:45	active	1669	Download Now👉👉👉	The Vampire and His Blood wife ONLY on Drama Time.🎬 Don't miss out! Watch the series you've been wanting to see. No regrets, just pure entertainment! #Must SeeTV #No Regrets #Watch Now	WATCH_MORE	https://fblp.drama-time.com/DT-yrccXV-0914-EN-4609	Romantic Love	https://www.facebook.com/61557838064349/	255	1969-12-31 18:00	Watch More	fblp.drama-time.com	DCO		https://fblp.drama-time.com/DT-yrccXV-0914-EN-460913.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=1749262542004264962	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/460715832_415028057897621_7384244897386655922_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Z7I3SewaSvoQ7kNvgF0WUNt&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AMTlYbm1hrOtg6I8a8xv0PE&oh=00_AYB8TWmi_4TYz1KlAd-EBQgQK7m5U2dz1R8S0FMsBY0URg&oe=671B8A19	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Romantic Love	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,252,598	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2252326}'	No	2024-10-20 20:17	active	1670	😍Read the next chapters👉	Chapter 1 “Sir, Madam is not feeling well," the butler of the Gannon mansion reported on the phone. The man at the end of the line spoke in a nonchalant tone. "So, take her to the hospital. I’m not a doctor." The line died immediately. The butler was so pale, beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Zora relaxed her back against the sofa, feeling weak from abdominal pains. Trying to mask the pain, she asked hopefully. “What did he say?” The butler instantly put on a calm smile when he turned in her direction. “Madam, sir said he will meet us at the hospital.” Zora’s eyes lit up. Ezrah had not been home for almost three days, and she was missing him so much. This sickness seemed to be her lucky charm to get him to her side again. “Okay. Let’s go.” Zora’s heart warmed at the fact that Ezrah at least cared about his child. Both of them were caught in a scandal two years ago, so getting married was the only way to curb the situation. Ezrah’s stance was clear through it all. “When everything calms down, we are getting a divorce.” Zora hoped that by that time, she would have been able to melt his cold heart and make him fully hers, so her hopes were high. However, over time, she found him slowly drawing away from her, even when they worked together in the same company and shared the same bedroom. Two months ago, Ezrah returned and asked Zora for a divorce but chanced upon the test results. His expression was dark. “Let’s hold off on the divorce until after the child is born, but don’t expect to remain Mrs. Gannon. That title belongs to somebody else, but it’s definitely not you.” The marriage after those words had been terrible. Ezrah barely returned home, barely got intimate with her. The only reason she still bore Mrs. Gannon was because of the child in her womb. Zora thought that his reason for being away was because of work since he was the CEO of the Gannon Group, a multibillion-dollar company where Zora also worked as an assistant manager. Unknown to Ezrah, Zora had been secretly in love with him for five years, but that drunk night at her best friend Coco’s birthday party, Zora woke up in bed with Ezrah. She decided to keep it a secret and a memory she would forever cherish when the media picked up the news. Ezrah could not allow the scandal to ruin his well-kept reputation and cause him losses, so he announced that he and Zora were already dating secretly and were soon getting married. Zora, who had been madly in love with him, was excited about the news of getting married to Ezrah. Zora hoped that with time, his heart would warm up towards her, but that did not happen. Even in her state, Ezrah hardly spent the night at home. On the way to the hospital, Zora’s phone beeped, and looking at the content, her heart dropped. Ezrah was holding the delicate hand of a beautiful woman, a proud smile on his face. The caption read, ‘Mr. Ezra Gannon admits to reigniting his love for his old flame, Miss Piper Henshaw.’ Zora’s eyes were swollen with tears. As they dropped down her cheeks, she refused to believe it. Maybe it was photoshopped. There was never any news about Ezrah dating any woman before she had a baby for him. He never even warmed up to women. The man had long been secretive and kept his face from the media. Also, the butler Rudolph had said that Ezrah promised to meet them at the hospital, so the media must be spreading this false news to gain popularity. Even after everything, she still could not help the unease in her heart, instantly dialing his number. Despite him warning her to only communicate with him through the butler, Zora took the bull by the horn this time. Her call went through, but there was no answer. Her old self would have given up, but due to the unease in her heart because of the news, she couldn’t bring herself to do so. On the fourth ring, a woman answered the call. Her melodious voice made Zora feel less of a woman. “Ezrah is in the bathroom.” Zora’s hands holding the phone shook, her heart in tatters. Ezrah never allowed her to touch his phone, but this woman casually answered his call, and was he really in the bathroom? Zora felt the pain in her chest worse than that of her abdomen. “Who are you?” The words forced themselves out of her mouth. The woman responded casually, “Piper, his fiancée. And you are?” “Whatever he saved my name with,” Zora responded calmly. The pain of the news was more than she could bear. Though knowing that Ezrah never loved her, she thought they could live in peace for the sake of the baby in her womb, but Ezrah never meant to make her dreams come true. The woman at the end of the line moved the phone from her ear to have a better view of the caller ID. “Oh, Zora. If it’s urgent, I could drop a message for you when he comes out.” The nights Ezrah spent away when Zora thought he was busy at work, it was a great disappointment that he was with the woman he loved, leaving her to suffer with her unborn child. She was still in her first trimester, and due to all the morning sickness and other health issues, Zora had taken a break from working at the company to recover first. Her mind lacked clarity, and she was beginning to doubt all the responses she got from Rudolph when she asked him to get in touch with Ezrah. “Just tell him to call me.” Zora ended the call. At the hotel room, Ezrah returned from the meeting in the conference room. Since he never allowed anyone to answer their calls during meetings, he equally left his phone in the presidential suite meant for his relaxation. “What are you doing with my phone?” He asked as soon as he entered the bedroom. Before Piper spoke, he asked again, “and I made it clear that you should wait for me at the lounge. How did you have access?” The pout on Piper’s lips only made her cuter as she faked anger. “Is it wrong for me to come? We would have gotten married if Zora had not appeared.” Ezrah was a man who loved to keep his love life private. He and Piper had been in a secret long-distance relationship. The night they arranged to meet at the birthday party of one of his business partner’s sister, Piper had an emergency and could not attend as planned. That night, he mysteriously ended up in bed with Zora, an incident that should have been brushed under the carpet until the media took hold of it. Not wanting his well-maintained reputation to crack, he apologetically married Zora, promising Piper to divorce Zora secretly after two years when the news dies down. Things took a different turn when he found the test result after promising Piper that he was ending things with Zora. “I told you I was working on it. You should keep yourself hidden away from the press. We shouldn’t be seen together.” Ezrah’s voice was stern. It was business for him first, and he didn’t want Piper’s presence to ruin it for him. Piper was uneasy at the reminder. Forcing a smile, she relayed, “I could be your confidential secretary. Please Ezrah, I don’t want to be away from you anymore.” Ezrah did not give a response. His actions were always well thought out. It wasn’t easy for him to be the CEO of the legendary Gannon Group as the youngest of three sons. Any wrong move and his elder brothers would begin to fight for the position. “Did anyone call?” He was scrolling through his phone when he caught sight of Zora’s name. “Yeah. Zora. She said you should call her,” Piper responded with a smile, her fingers sliding over her exposed thighs as she lay seductively on the luxurious king-size bed. “What did you tell her?” Ezrah frowned a little. He wanted to keep Piper a secret until after the divorce. “I pretended not to know about her existence.” Piper lifted herself to a sitting position, and due to the long slit of the dress, her full thighs were exposed, but Ezrah’s attention was on the phone in his hand. “Do me a favor and don’t answer my calls again.” His voice had lost its warmth. Piper faked remorse. “I’m sorry. I thought it was urgent.” Ezrah finally held her gaze as he spoke roughly, “Nothing about Zora is ever urgent.” Chapter 2 Piper was very happy with his remark, but Zora was still Misses Gannon, the title Piper had long coveted. How she wished that night had not happened. If only that useless man had not appeared when she was about to leave for the airport to board the private jet, she would have been the one waking up in bed with Ezrah. It pained her that it had to be that woman, Zora. “Ezrah, are you sure you will divorce her?” Ezrah hated to be doubted. “You don’t believe me? I’m only with her because she’s carrying my child. As soon as he’s born, I will divorce her.” Piper smiled with satisfaction, and since she had mentally stored Zora's number after answering the call, she sent the recording to her. Remembering that the butler had called Ezrah informing him that Zora was sick, she asked after deleting the audio from her phone. “Can you go shopping with me? I didn’t bring enough clothes.” Even if Zora showed the audio to Ezrah, Piper would deny it as she had used a number Ezrah didn’t know to send it. “I have another meeting in two hours, so you have an hour and a half to finish shopping,” Ezrah said softly. Zora’s heart tightened in her chest when she played the audio. The butler who was driving the car felt helpless, equally disappointed in his boss. Zora asked from the back seat of the luxurious car she was seated in. “Did he really tell you he was coming to the hospital?” The butler’s throat went dry. He always succeeded in making up excuses for his boss, but this time, everything backfired. That audio destroyed everything. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I just didn’t want to see you sad.” Zora’s heart twitched, a bitter smile curled the corner of her lips, feeling like a fool as tears welled up in her eyes. She was nothing to Ezrah. The little surprises sent to ignite her hope were merely prepared by the butler. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recover from the pain as she felt a force hit the car from the side, causing it to swerve off the road and somersault thrice. The butler was instantly unconscious. Zora felt unbearable pain, blood sputtered from her mouth and nose, then in between her thighs. No words could describe the agony as she watched the life draining out of her with intense pain settled in her abdomen. She managed to pick up her phone, which had fallen to the side from the impact, dialing her husband’s number. Unable to lift the phone to her ear, she activated the speaker. “Zora. I’m busy.” That was what Ezrah said as soon as he answered the phone, not waiting to hear what she had to say. After all, nothing about Zora was ever urgent to him. Before she lost consciousness, she heard the laughter of a woman with the words, “Ezrah, I want these shoes.” “Try them on. If they fit, you can have them.” ‘So, shopping with a woman is what you call busy.’ That was what Zora thought before losing consciousness. Zora woke up at the hospital after hours of surgery. Her face was as pale as a ghost, her countenance pitiful. Her butler, Rudolph, sat at her hospital bed, a smile on his face. He had sustained a few injuries, but they were not serious, and he was already discharged. “Madam, you are awake. Thank God.” Zora was glad to see that Rudolph was fine. There were just bruises on his face. He quickly rushed out to call a doctor. “Mrs. Gannon, how are you feeling?” The doctor asked as he examined Zora, writing a few things on a writing pad he carried along. Zora was only concerned about one thing. “How is my baby?” Zora asked. The doctor’s eyes dulled. “I’m very sorry, but your baby couldn’t survive the impact.” Tears brimmed in the back of Zora’s eyes, but she fought them back. She lost everything. She left her father’s company to work for her husband, nurturing his business and enduring all the taunts of his arrogant family. At twenty-three, she had nothing to show for the man she had secretly loved for five good years. “It’s alright. She would have just suffered anyway.” Her heart had turned cold due to the loss of the child. “Excuse me?” The doctor was shocked. He expected her to cry like any woman in her situation would, but Zora bottled it in. She could endure all of Ezrah’s indifference towards her, but she would never forgive him for the loss of her child. That woman appeared, and Zora suddenly got involved in an accident. The case had to be investigated, but as for Ezrah, he no longer had a place in her heart. “Sorry, that was not directed at you.” There was no warmth in Zora’s apologetic voice. The doctor forced a smile, finished his examination, and left. Zora stared at the butler at the doorway. He stood there since the doctor arrived. Zora was about to tear down but couldn’t do so. She had been weak for too long, leading to the death of her child. If she had left the first time Ezrah asked her for a divorce, this would not have happened. When she discovered this baby, she decided to consent to the divorce and leave. At least, she would have his child to remind her of the relationship they once shared. Unfortunately, the test result fell from her handbag, Ezrah saw it. Even when he decided for them to wait until after she gave birth, his treatment of her was no better. “Where is Ezrah?” Zora asked. Butler Rudolph was scared. He could feel the cold in Zora’s voice, and even with the distance, he could feel the chills. “Madam, the man who hit us was drunk, and he died on the spot. The police are not able to contact his family either,” Rudolph reported, trying to avoid answering her question. He was a middle-aged man. Zora did not believe the report but kept it to herself. The moment she discovered that the man she respected so much was lying to her, her trust in him dwindled. She will find ways to investigate the matter by herself. “That isn’t my question.” “Boss left here a few minutes ago,” Rudolph answered. Zora was enraged this time. Not only Ezrah but Rudolph, the butler Ezrah assigned to her, was equally taking her for a fool. “Don’t lie to my face again.” Her voice was stern and full of contempt. Rudolph pursed his lips, his head lowered. “Boss said, and I quote. ‘It’s rather unfortunate. Let the doctors take care of her. I’m very busy at the moment.” Zora knew what he was busy with. It was the woman whose voice she heard in the audio. She thought she was strong enough to take it, but a tear fell from her eyes before she could stop it. Ashamed of showing her weak side in front of Rudolph, she discharged him. “Thank you, and please excuse me.” Rudolph was never supposed to leave Zora's side, so he was reluctant. “Ma…” “I said, excuse me, Rudolph,” Zora’s voice raised, Rudolph decided to wait in front of the door. “Okay.” As soon as he left the ward, Zora dialed a number. “Soph…” “Dad, I’m sorry. I made a mistake, and now, I lost everything.” Zora didn’t hold back her tears as she spoke to her father on the phone. He was against the marriage the moment he realized that Ezrah did not feel the same way Zora felt about him, but she was optimistic, insisting that Ezrah would change. Expecting her father to scold her an, ‘I told you so’ lecture, his voice was rather soft as he asked her. “What happened, Zora?” “I had an accident and lost the baby. I’m coming home.” The silence at the end of the line was deafening. She knew her father was saddened about the loss of his grandchild. When she was about to end the call, he suddenly said, “Oh Zora. I’m coming to get you. Just send me your location.” Zora refused. She couldn’t leave until she was legally separated from Ezrah. “No dad, I have a few things to do first.” “What is that? Let me help you with it?” Her father eagerly said, but she was in no mood to burden the middle-aged man. The loss had caused Zora to mature so fast as the reality of life hit her. No more would she depend on anyone. It was time to do something worthwhile with her life, but first of all, she will still have to face Ezrah for the last time. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing I can’t handle. “Okay. We shall prepare your welcome party. I will inform your mom.” Zora smiled and didn’t refuse her father’s kindness. Three days later, she was discharged from the hospital. As she waited for Ezrah’s return, she got the divorce papers ready. It was three days later in the dead of the night when Ezrah returned, tired-looking but his attractive features remained untouched by his fatigue. Zora had lost sleep, waiting for Ezrah during most of the days. As soon as she heard the sound of the car, she quickly rushed downstairs but paused on top of the stairs when Ezrah walked through the door of the living room. Arriving home, Ezrah no longer met the woman who always met him with a smile. She stood on top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, “Good news Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us, so let’s get a divorce.” The man who was always cold to her instantly panicked. He stood momentarily frozen. Chapter 3 Ezrah was baffled by the news. Twice, he had asked her for a divorce and saw how gloomy she turned at the subject. This was what he wanted but he couldn’t help the unease filling his heart. Was it because Zora was the one asking? Was she trying to mess up his reputation with the loss of the child? Ezrah was confused. Zora descended the stairs, walking to the dining table. Ezrah did not utter an acceptance or rejection of her request for a divorce and went up the stairs, returning after ten minutes in loungewear. Seemed he wasn’t going out or was it the shock from the news? Seeing the dinner table hosting different delicacies, excitement filled his heart as he took a seat. If she really wanted a divorce, then she wouldn’t have cooked for him. At this moment, Piper was momentarily forgotten. Ezrah avoided Zora’s gaze as this was the first time she was so cold to him. Without alerting her of his arrival, she still ensured that his supper was ready. As he uncovered one of the dishes, his eyes darkened as he glared at her. It was not the food he was expecting but rather, the cold divorce papers, with a pen beside them, waiting to be signed. “What is this?” Ezrah was furious, being famished from not having time to eat. In times past, Zora would have been worried and tried to appease him but that Zora was gone. After crying her eyes out for days, she waited to serve Ezrah these cold documents, she had no more tears to shed but her eyes were dangerously red. “Do I need to get you a pair of glasses?” Her voice was taunting, as she saw the shocked expression on his face. He must have taken her request as a joke the first time but the documents exposed the reality. “Why? Were you expecting me to cook when I had no idea when you will be home?” Ezrah’s expression was blank. She could have made the maids do it. It burned Zora that she could not read his emotions but she didn’t care anymore. “Please sign the papers. In case the prints are too tiny, I got you a magnifying glass,” she dropped the item in front of him. Ezrah was not irrational. When he asked for a divorce, he ensured that there would be nothing for the media to feed on but now that they just lost a child? What will people think? His parents liked Zora, except his two elder brothers who always saw her as a threat. The situation was complicated now. Ezrah never thought she would stand on it to ask for a divorce because of how she always claimed to love him, not caring if he was just cold to her. He needed time to think. “We shall talk about it later,” he finally said and was about to stand up when Zora played an audio from her phone. With her mind made up, she wanted the divorce here and now. The woman in front of Ezrah was different from the one he always came home to. She always wore attractive clothes with a little makeup to seduce him which sometimes worked but after his release, Ezrah would return to being cold. Today, Zora did not have on any makeup. Her hair was not even combed. All she wore was pajamas, her long dark hair looking lifeless, in contrast to Ezrah who was looking so attractive. He had the looks and physique Zora used to die for but not anymore. All she felt for him now was resentment. She suddenly matured past looks or smartness in a man. What was there in being hot and a genius in business when there is no conscience or empathy? Zora was just seeing that the man she has always been obsessed with was a selfish monster, caring only about his own image, money, and passion. Whatever blinded her eyes before was removed the moment she woke up on that hospital bed. The voice from the audio was as clear as daylight. A female and a male but the male voice was indeed that of Ezrah. Female: I’m sorry. I thought it was urgent. Male: Nothing about Zora is ever urgent. Female: Ezrah, are you sure you will divorce her? Male: You don’t believe me? I’m only with her because she’s carrying my child. As soon as he’s born, I will divorce her. Zora caught an expression of guilt on his face but there was no remorse. His voice was hard. “Where did you get that?” He demanded. Piper could not have done this, right? She had no contact with Zora. But it was just the two of them in the room. Were there secret cameras? Though confused, his expression returned to being blank. “You have to destroy that audio before I sign this paper,” he threatened her. Zora could not tell how she managed to pretend that she was fine. Up until now, he didn’t even care to apologize for sharing their private information with whatever name he calls the woman in his life. What on earth could have made her fall in love with such a man? He was different from that man from a long time ago who saved her from the pool when she was bullied by some jealous friends. Ezrah did not remember that day but that was when Zora fell in love with him. She calmly showed him another caption on her phone. ‘Mr. Ezra Gannon admits to reigniting his love for his old flame, Miss Piper Henshaw.’ This time, Ezrah paled but his eyes were dark and he picked up his phone instantly. He couldn’t find the person who took those pictures and how they went viral but had to get someone to take them down. The hacker would also be able to find out who sent that information to the press. Zora had grown thorns after listening over and over to the audio and reading that news on her phone. Ezrah had already told her the same thing so this shouldn’t hurt. “It doesn’t matter. The hindrance has already been removed and you already have a woman waiting for you. Just sign the freaking papers.” Chapter 4 Ezrah paced back and forth elegantly, his mind filled with confusion and fear after ending the call. “You want to blackmail me? How much do you want?” He was enraged and disdained that Zora would resort to such means, but he was willing to pay to prevent the audio from going viral. His parents would not hesitate to demote him despite his hard work in the company, while his lazy elder brothers would benefit without putting in the effort. “What I want, you already gave, but since the accident took it away, there is nothing you can give me.” She did not disclose her suspicions, as she had someone investigating the matter. Ezrah suddenly laughed mockingly. “Your father’s company is not as strong as you think. He has been seeking an alliance with me. You want fifty percent of my hard work.” This could be the reason Zora was pushing for the divorce. Fifty percent from the Gannon Group would elevate her family business to new heights. She felt bitter that he would think so poorly of her. Despite her feelings, she kept her composure. “No. You were the one who proposed the divorce, so were you planning to leave me with nothing?” Her question left him speechless, and she reminded him of the prenup agreement. “Did you forget that I signed a prenup before marrying you? I just refreshed your memory so you are free to sign.” Ezrah recalled that Zora had willingly proposed and prepared the prenup when they announced their marriage after the scandal. She did it all to prove to him that she wasn’t ‘interested in his wealth. He suddenly felt uneasy. This was not the scenario he had anticipated when he entered the room. Besides, he was hungry and not in the right state to make such a decision. What if Zora was being supported by one of his brothers or both? “You may have dismissed it, but it's only a matter of time before you reveal that you left with nothing.” Zora struggled to suppress the pain that came with realizing that Ezrah's delay in finalizing the divorce was not due to developing feelings for her or guilt, but rather to protect his image in front of the media and family. She felt a bitter smile form on her lips. “Trust me, nothing about our divorce will be leaked to the media.” “I don’t believe you,” Ezrah responded bluntly. Zora had worked closely with him, and despite her absence from the office in recent weeks, she was privy to confidential information. Ezrah had never seen her as a threat due to her infatuation with him, but now he feared she might make his life difficult. “As soon as the papers are signed, you won’t hear from me again. You can have a happy life with the woman you love,” Zora proposed. Ezrah was already contemplating how he could benefit from her disappearance after the divorce. It seemed like she wanted to start fresh somewhere far away. “Alright. I’m not heartless. I will still give you 50 million,” he said as he signed the document, only to find that Zora had already signed her part. After signing the divorce agreement, Ezrah’s phone rang. Seeing it was Piper, he answered it and began to climb the stairs in long strides. Piper keeps breaking the agreement. She wasn’t supposed to call him when she was home. Zora overheard him on the phone, “Are you the one who recorded our conversation at the hotel?” She couldn’t hear Piper’s response but had the conviction that it was her. Deciding it was best to spend the night on the sofa, Zora couldn't fathom sharing a room with him after their divorce. She was too exhausted to move to another room. Her sleep was restless, prompting her to wake up before Ezrah. She had already packed her bags, so she dressed and approached him. “Ezrah, it’s time to finalize our divorce in court.” Ezrah woke up and looked at her glumly. She was still in a somber mood, her eyes red despite the makeup. He sighed, “just a few minutes.” An hour later, they arrived at the divorce court. With Zora having made prior arrangements, the process was swift, and they soon had their divorce certificates. Without hesitation, they signed their respective portions. “You should keep your word and leave New York for good, or else you won’t like what I will do,” Ezrah warned solemnly. Zora had a faint smile on her face. “I have a gift waiting for you at home.” Ezrah frowned, wondering what kind of gift she arranged for him after their divorce. Zora has always been generous, buying him gifts and anything she knew he would like. He would neither accept nor refuse them. Whereas, he never used any of the gifts she bought for him. They left together, but Zora departed in a cab against his wishes to drop her at the airport. She reiterated that he would never see her again. Ezrah felt conflicted but remembered his promise to Piper. Despite his desire to head straight to the office for a meeting, curiosity got the best of him. He rescheduled the meeting and drove home to see the gift Zora had left for him. Upon arriving, he found a letter on the dining table addressed to him. ‘EZRAH.’ He couldn't recall seeing it earlier that morning, and a sense of unease crept over him as he approached and opened the letter. It was written in Zora’s handwriting, unmistakable to him. As he read the words, fear, panic, and regret flooded his heart. The letter slipped from his trembling fingers as he cried out, “ZORA, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”	LEARN_MORE	https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13232&u	Indulge in story	https://www.facebook.com/61552702618591/	818	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	shgjfh.com	VIDEO		https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13232&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/454540072_1042515747508614_6729530628572081955_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ryMauyYp2sYQ7kNvgF5YAcy&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AMUyQRTuD340JvIQRt6FTCw&oh=00_AYAASQSgi1JJVRcNedDQ5rm0e6RsknnDMKeckgksQ8QBbQ&oe=671B7D78	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Indulge in story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

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