Confucius Ads Library: Ads

Ads for Sweeps on 2024-12-08

Id	Vlad	Saved	Scrape Time	Status	Scrape Result	Title	Body	Cta Type	Link Url	Page Name	Page Profile Uri	Page Like Count	Enddate	Cta Text	Caption	Display Format	Link Description	Link Url	Creation Time	Page Profile Picture Url	Page Entity Type	Page Is Profile Page	Current Page Name	Startdate	Actions
2,616,193	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	Don’t Miss the 12 Days of Christmas Sale!	🎄 12 Days of Christmas Sale - LIVE NOW! The holiday event you've been waiting for has arrived. Here’s your chance to snag rare and stunning species at jaw-dropping prices – but hurry, supplies won’t last! 🕷️✨💡 What You Need to Know: ✅ Shipping: You pay for shipping on your first order. If you make more than $300 in purchases by the end of the sale, we’ll refund the difference! Just let us know. ✅ Daily Deals: New species are available daily between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM EST and are available for 24 hours or until they sell out! ✅ Shipping Dates: Shipping starts the week of Dec 9th, but you can request to have your orders held until the week of the 16th (❄️weather permitting) to pay one shipping fee for all your orders. ✅ Exclusive Offers: Due to the significant discounts offered on this sale, DOAs will be either refunded or replaced with your next order. ✅ Limit 1 Per Shipment: It will be refunded if more than one is ordered. There are a few days with more than one species available. We will list them "Part 1" and "Part 2". On those days, one of each can be purchased per shipment. ✅ Stock Tip: Items in your cart aren’t secured until you check out. Don’t wait! You must check out, or they may go out of stock. 🎁 Pro Tip: Our team is working hard to make this sale magical! Before reaching out, check our Terms of Service for quick answers. 🕸️ Shop Now: https://fearnottarantulas.com/collections/12-days-of-christmas-sale ⏳ The clock is ticking. These beauties won’t stick around! Let the 12 Days of Christmas begin! 🎅🕷️	LEARN_MORE	https://fearnottarantulas.com/collections/12-days-	Fear Not Tarantulas, Inc	https://www.facebook.com/fearnottarantulas/	36,979	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fearnottarantulas.com	IMAGE	Ends Dec 14	https://fearnottarantulas.com/collections/12-days-of-christmas-sale	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469461397_1135819791397415_4348698851946738900_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5Tows8q53QgQ7kNvgGpo8mA&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Ay3kbtBR-A35l1EUpGp4Exi&oh=00_AYBg544OBWVyoJw7IqwcxuVEXJXoYZQPMfNTNxZUT51S9w&oe=675C2A7E	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Fear Not Tarantulas, Inc	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,202	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	Black Friday with Up to 51% Off 🖤 Code BFDEAL	🖤 Get up to 51% OFF with the Black Friday sale! Use code BFDEAL 🖤 "We have been using these vitamins for our 2 sons for the last 2 months. They both play rec sports and therefore have very busy schedules. We highly recommend these vitamins to others who want to help balance the nutritional needs of their children. Thank you First Day!" VERIFIED BUYER - JULIE S. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ With over 2,500+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews… Mothers nationwide are discovering that First Day is exactly what’s needed to get their teens balanced -- nutritionally, & mentally. It’s unique blend of: 🍓 Vitamins sourced from vegetables and fruits 🧠 9 key nutrients needed for growth and development 🍭 Low sugar formulation (with no sweetener additives!) & No GMO, artificial colors or additives… First Day vitamins do exactly what’s said on the packet --- enrich the body, and give teens the nutrients they need to thrive! And since we first started... So many mothers have stepped forward to share how this simple Nutritional Switch has created a complete turning point in their teen's lives. Discover why 1,000s of parents are making the switch!	GET_OFFER	https://firstday.com/products/teens-kickstart-vita	First Day	https://www.facebook.com/firstday/	36,719	1969-12-31 18:00	Get offer	firstday.com	IMAGE	"I'm eternally grateful for finding these gummies. I know every child is different, but having First Day in our sleep routine has been so rewarding. Our whole family loves it."	https://firstday.com/products/teens-kickstart-vitamin	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469175501_1248286503118993_1399818303560760120_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=JVzZvsXrXm8Q7kNvgE3Sgcs&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Ay3kbtBR-A35l1EUpGp4Exi&oh=00_AYDk-ka0vtBFGbm6TbeOxJlLlXI79CW_dA5vdFExa4ku4A&oe=675C11E0	PERSON_PROFILE	0	First Day	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,231	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	It’s Time to Get In The Holiday Spirit In Caldwell, Ohio • CompassOhio	🎅🎄 Mark your calendars for a full day of Christmas fun with the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department (Village of Caldwell)! Here’s what’s happening: 🍽️ Pancake Breakfast with the Grinch - 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Enjoy a tasty breakfast, snap a selfie with the Grinch, and grab some fun souvenirs! 🛍️ Outdoor Christmas Market - Opens at 9:00 AM. Browse homemade goodies and crafts like flavored angel food cakes and custom tumblers—perfect for unique holiday gifts! 🎠 Outdoor Christmas Carnival—Starting at noon, enjoy games like Ring Toss, make "Reindeer Food," and meet Olaf and The Elf on the Shelf! Food trucks will be serving up delicious treats. 🎵 Old Country Christmas Square Dance - 7:00 PM. End the day with live music, dancing, and hearty firehouse chili. Everything is within walking distance, making enjoying a full day of holiday cheer with family and friends easy! 🎁✨ For more details, visit 👉 https://compassohio.com/its-time-to-get-in-the-holiday-spirit-in-caldwell-ohio/ (Noble County Convention and Visitors Bureau) #ChristmasInCaldwell #HolidayFun #PancakeBreakfast #ChristmasMarket #FamilyFestivities #SquareDance #ExploreOhio #CompassOhio	LEARN_MORE	https://compassohio.com/its-time-to-get-in-the-hol	Compass Ohio	https://www.facebook.com/CompassOhio/	36,494	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	compassohio.com	IMAGE	Enjoy the Holiday Spirit in Caldwell Ohio - breakfast with the Grinch, a Christmas Market, games, and an Old Country Christmas Square Dance!	https://compassohio.com/its-time-to-get-in-the-holiday-spirit-in-caldwell-ohio/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469519292_1576727186289490_986767291446563390_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=HVSt894FkE4Q7kNvgGbtXq3&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A0ff8fJ3DBmpni0ZxOF9PhI&oh=00_AYBwRKqEHZAdoj8igoxi6ZVuMvsAtoJnKlje7wseicO86w&oe=675C1262	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Compass Ohio	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,813	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2616809}'	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	New 2024 Dodge Durango GT Premium \| For $55,405 1C4RDJDG9RC193785		LEARN_MORE	https://www.autonationchryslerdodgejeepramsouthwes	AutoNation Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Southwest	https://www.facebook.com/AutoNationChryslerDodgeJeepRamSouthwest/	977	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	autonationchryslerdodgejeepramsouthwest.com	CAROUSEL		https://www.autonationchryslerdodgejeepramsouthwest.com/new/Dodge/2024-Dodge-Durango-littleton-49881119ac18132baa613375ade4f151.htm?utm_source=ALS&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=%2A000053978%2AALS_Social_Retargeting&alstad_source=car&alstad_vin=1C4RDJDG9RC193785&alstad_year=2024&alstad_make=Dodge&alstad_model=Durango&alstad_condition=new&alst_action=car&alst_action_value=1C4RDJDG9RC193785	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469885121_1120565946269401_1101582708488977314_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=LL00dcj03twQ7kNvgHKYOu4&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AKwOA9gvFgUcAJKaIYpl9kf&oh=00_AYCsx_qGhe_gcCecqCiiksY7K4HPclI4dyUBRFN2yhXlLw&oe=675C2048	PERSON_PROFILE	0	AutoNation Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Southwest	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,241	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2616240}'	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	🎟 CHRISTMAS BOGO EVENT	🎅🎉 Get into the holiday spirit with our CHRISTMAS BOGO EVENT! Join us on Friday, December 20th at Sambuca 360 for a night of techno Bollywood music madness at our Friday Roar party combined with the fun of our Fugly Sweater Party. It's the perfect combo to kick off the holiday season! Don't miss out on our special BOGO offer - buy one ticket, get one free! Grab your friends and get ready to groove all night long. See you there! 🎶🎄 #ChristmasBOGOEvent #HolidayParty #BollywoodMadness	BUY_TICKETS	https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christmas-bogo-event-	TopShot Events	https://www.facebook.com/topshotevents/	37,589	1969-12-31 18:00	Buy Tickets	eventbrite.com	DCO	Get your tickets on Eventbrite!	https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christmas-bogo-event-tickets-1105123537249?aff=ebpredboostfbandigads&td_campaign_id=721677	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469547013_549368937907703_4574555758094503837_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Gfz62PbnySUQ7kNvgH6e7ii&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A0ff8fJ3DBmpni0ZxOF9PhI&oh=00_AYBtO3_DzZEOUXU1lqQMKNmDyfhvwHEw1s3RGqmXR3-mXg&oe=675C1EC0	PERSON_PROFILE	0	TopShot Events	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,613,998	/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}'	No	2024-12-08 19:42	active	1976	Advancement Opportunities Are Available	All locations NOW HIRING. Flexible schedules are available for cooks and cashiers. Make $17.50 an hour or MORE working at Jim's!	APPLY_NOW	https://www.jimssteakout.com/jobs	Jim's Steakout	https://www.facebook.com/JimsSteakout/	16,949	1969-12-31 18:00	Apply now	jimssteakout.com	IMAGE	Free employee meals!	https://www.jimssteakout.com/jobs	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/449382657_998847724785957_6424421616267848887_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=oBDCiF-s7yMQ7kNvgGLHcQs&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AKdtfu3eR295H41bC-HQ7Gk&oh=00_AYAYx9txJBNTDcVIBs6dqqdz5-VnYeJLl2v0toHhbuHAZg&oe=675C2476	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Jim's Steakout	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,612,368	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-08 19:12	active	1975		For her, marrying her best friend and carrying his child was a dream come true. However, just at this joyful moment, the man's beloved returned... ===== "It's a good thing you're cautious. You could've lost your baby, Miss Monroe," the GYN told me seriously as she could see the shock in my eyes. Had I heard it right? I was pregnant? I was pregnant with a baby for Pierce--my best friend and my first crush! On the way out of the hospital, I couldn't wait to tell Pierce about our baby. I wondered what his reaction would be. Would he scream in happiness? God! I couldn't contain my happiness. I cupped my flushed face as I fantasized, but the moment I felt the cold of the simple ring on my finger, my wildly beating heart calmed down. I almost forgot that Pierce wasn't the type to be keen on having children, especially since our marriage was arranged by his family. Pierce was a complete gentleman, both as a friend and a husband. Every time we did intimate thing, he was considerate yet cautious, saying there was no need to add extra shackles when we weren't ready. This baby, in a way, was out of the plan. "Ma'am, is everything okay? Do you need to call the boss?" my private driver, Luke, asked worriedly as he noticed my frown. Luke was reliable, like family, but if I chose to share, I still wanted Pierce to be the first to know this news. He was my baby's father. "No," I shook my head, giving Luke a reassuring smile. "He's on a flight. I'll talk to him later myself." I wanted to sense his answer directly from his raw expressions. I was always good at that. I closed my eyes, recalling the first day we met. His bright smile in the sunlight was so dazzling; he was a Prince. Long before we became best friends, I fell in love with him at first sight. But it was only unrequited love; I knew that well. I slid down the car window to get some fresh air but accidentally caught a glimpse of our old high school. That bitter feeling filled my chest once again. Pierce was my first love, but I wasn't his. In high school, I was just a boring nerd in others' eyes while Pierce Anderson was the shining quarterback. Everyone was surprised that we could be friends. Though envy arose, I enjoyed being around him. I slowly realized that I didn't just want to be his friend. However, right when I was about to confess my feelings to him, another girl came into his life. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of those sad memories. I gripped the cold wedding ring on my finger, telling myself the past was the past. Pierce said they were over, and I was his wife now. I was his wife who was carrying his baby. I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and opened the door to our house. My heart calmed as I breathed in the scent of home. Our home. Pierce and I decorated it together with our own hands. We enjoyed it. Yes, I must have been overthinking. That woman had been out of our lives for a long time, and my marriage with Pierce had been as beautiful as a fairy tale for the past three years. I glanced at the clock on the wall. At this point, Pierce should have gotten off the plane. He had been traveling for over a month for the sake of our family's business. Pierce was the President of ADE, the leading fashion magazine company in Asia, and I was actually the Vice President. We were not only life partners but also good partners at work. I really missed him. I dialed his number immediately. I wanted to hear his voice now, to know when he would arrive home. I would prepare a good meal for him, and he would reward me with a sweet kss. Then we might do intimate thing... Oops, I almost forgot I was pregnant now. I needed to tell him this first before we could do anything else. I was happily envisioning our lovely reunion when my heart dropped as a woman's voice came over the line. [Hello?] I snapped the phone as just one word came out. My phone fell to the floor, and my body started shaking uncontrollably. NO! It couldn't be her! It couldn't be Lexi! She was already out of our lives! I must have misheard. I rushed to the fridge, attempting to calm myself with some alhol. But the moment I was reminded of the doctor's words and my baby. I needed to be cautious for my baby's sake. I turned to grab a box of milk and walked toward the sofa. I didn't know what made me recognize that as Lexi's voice at that moment. I meant Lexi and I were never close. Lexi Gilbert was a typical blonde beauty that men would go crazy for. She was the popular cheerleader in high school while Pierce was the star quarterback. A better match than he and a nerd like me, right? It wasn't surprising that he had fallen for her. My pride couldn't stand watching the man I loved go crazy for another woman. So I had once tried to stay away from them silently, but Pierce refused to quit my life. Every time I drowned myself in a sea of books and studies to forget them, Pierce would appear at my doorstep asking me out. I couldn't say no to his charming smile; I couldn't refuse when he claimed it was his duty as my best friend to take me out to enjoy the real world. To avoid ruining our friendship, I could only hide my broken heart, silently playing the role of his best friend while watching his happy face as he pursued another girl. I finally mustered the courage to study abroad when I learned that Pierce was planning to propose to Lexi. However, I never expected Grams would call to beg me to return. I hurried back only to see a lifeless Pierce. His heart was shattered, thanks to Lexi. My beloved sunshine boy was nowhere to be seen, and my heart bed for him. I started to hate Lexi from that moment. I gave up my cherished man for her, and how dared she harm him so badly! Pierce didn't tell anyone what happened except that he was done with Lexi. Grams arranged our marriage. I didn't understand why he agreed until the day I heard him say that marrying anyone but Lexi would be the same for him. It hurt like hell, but I still walked into this marriage without a second thought. My cherished boy was broken, and I wanted to fix him, not caring if I ruined myself in the process. I fell asleep at home, feeling insecure and worried. I woke up in the middle of the night when I felt someone caressing my cheek. Slowly, I opened my eyes and realized I had fallen asleep in the living room. Someone lifted me from the couch. I immediately recognized his scent and touch as I looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes. "Pierce..." "Hmm," he hummed as he walked toward the stairs. "Why did you sleep on the couch?" I stared at his face as he gently placed me down on the bed. He caressed my hair and kssed my forehead. He was always so gentle, and that was why I loved him so much. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you," I said as I caressed his cheek. "Just met a friend. You said you were waiting for me; is it something urgent?" Looking at his gentle face, I suddenly didn't want to ruin the moment, so I closed my parted lips and swallowed the truth back down. Tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, I would have the courage to face all the puzzles. I shook my head and pouted, signaling that I was sleepy. He chuckled and carefully carried me to the bed. Just as he was about to leave me after giving me a goodnight kss, I panicked for some reason. I quickly grabbed him... I missed him. I wanted him. "Wait, Kels," he said, stopping me by pinning my hands to the bed. "I thought you said you were sleepy and needed to rest." "But I think I miss you more now." I looked at him with innocence and caught the dire flashing in his eyes, but I didn't know why it faded so quickly. He used to be happy when I took the initiative. As if noticing my confusion, he chuckled and playfully pinched my nose. "I'll just take a shower." I nodded and watched him as he walked toward the bathroom. But drowsiness struck again, so I closed my eyes to take a nap. However, it was already morning when I opened my eyes again, and Pierce was beside me, putting a tray of food on the bedside table. "Hey!" I greeted, smiling when I realized what he'd done. He had prepared breakfast for me. In bed. The sweetest. He smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. "Good morning." I grinned as I sat up. He carried the tray and put it beside me. I shot an eyebrow up, tilting my head as I stared at his handsome face. His deep brown eyes and thick, black eyebrows complemented his striking features. "What is this? Is this a bribe? You stood me up last night, bad boy." He didn't laugh. Instead, he heaved a sigh, gently tucking my hair behind my ear before taking my hand and staring into my eyes. "I have something to tell you." My heart raced. I thought about our baby. He had something to say, and I did too. "W-What is it?" I asked, feeling my voice tremble. He took a deep breath. "You know you're important to me, right?" I slowly nodded, my lips parted. I couldn't speak; I was scared of what he was about to say. I had a bad feeling about this. "You were my best friend before we got married. You're one of the few people I treasure..." I hid my clenched fists under the sheets. I didn't understand why he was telling me this, but I felt tears pooling in the corner of my eyes already. "Kelly..." He paused, squeezing his eyes shut before looking into mine again. "I-I think it's time for us to divorce." "P-Pierce..." My heart clenched. He smiled sadly. "I know you don't have feelings for me either. You only married me because of my grandparents. You just did this because you love them. Now it's time for our real happiness, Kelly." I shook my head. "W-What are you talking about, Pierce?" "Lexi is back, Kelly. My first love is back." Chapter 2 Kelly's POV--It Never Rains but It Pours I got off the bed and tried to leave, but Pierce grabbed my hand. I quickly wiped the tears rolling down my cheeks before he could see them. He stood in front of me, searching my face as I struggled to look down and avoid his gaze. My heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. I thought... I thought I could make him fall in love with me during those three years together. I believed his feelings would deepen, that he would see me as a woman rather than just a best friend. I was foolish to hope and dream so high. I had failed. No matter how hard I tried, his heart belonged only to his first love, Lexi. "Kelly..." I sucked in a breath and swallowed the pain as I looked at him. I forced a smile. "I need to wash up before eating." He stared into my eyes, trying to figure out what I was thinking. I knew he understood me too well, so I made a concerted effort to hide my pain and smiled back at him. He sighed and let go of my hand. "Okay. I'll wait for you here. Let's eat and go to work together." Together? How cruel could he be? He still wanted us to get along as if he hadn't just asked for a divorce? He wanted us to stay the same right after telling me that his first love was back and he wanted to divorce me? Oh, Pierce, what's going on in your head? If I used to be able to force myself to remain in the role of his best friend, wishing him happiness, I no longer had that courage after the three years we'd shared. There was no way I could endure that kind of torture again, especially now that I was carrying his baby. The baby... I had thought it was good news for us, but now... it felt more like a burden to him, I guess. A burden that would prevent him from pursuing his true love and freedom. I knew how an unwanted child could grow up. My parents divorced even before my mother died, and my father's new family hated me. It hurt like hell. I didn't want my baby to experience that same pain. I needed to keep my child away from it. I forced another smile. "We can't. I need to visit the studio for the photoshoot of our new models..." "I'll go with you--" "No." I pushed his hand away. His eyes followed my hand before he looked up at me again. "You have some documents to sign. Our schedules are already organized, remember?" "But..." "I have a personal driver, Pierce. I'll be fine going alone." He sighed and slowly nodded. I turned my back on him and entered the bathroom. I immediately opened the shower and stood under the cold water. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I covered my mouth to suppress my sobs. My shoulders trembled violently, and when I thought about my baby, I swallowed hard, trying to calm myself down. I wiped my face and caressed my belly. I needed to be strong. I had to stay calm. I shouldn't put my baby's life at risk just because I got my heart broken. I had to handle this wisely. I took a deep breath and finished my shower. When I got out of the bathroom, I was shocked to see Pierce still there. He was struggling to fix his tie in front of the full-length mirror. I also noticed my pair of heels and dress on the bed. "Hey! I picked your dress for today." Since our marriage wasn't public, Pierce had said he would try to do little things for me as a husband. He did it well, and I used to enjoy these sweet moments, but now, they felt like dgers to my heart. I grabbed the dress and went into the walk-in closet. I felt him following me. I put the white dress back and picked a red one. When I turned to face him, his forehead was creased. "I prefer red today. I'd feel beautiful in this dress." His eyes landed on the dress I was holding, and his face immediately relaxed. He nodded and walked toward me. "I see. Help me fix this first." I placed my dress on his arm and started adjusting his tie. I could feel his eyes staring intently and it was making my heart beat so fast. I took a deep breath and chewed my bottom lip as I struggled to fix the tie. My vision started to blur again. D*n! "Kelly..." I jumped in shock. "Hmm?" "Are you okay?" I looked at him and smiled. "Yeah." "I have something else to say." I finished fixing his tie, then immediately grabbed the dress from him. I glanced at him before walking past him and said, "Let's just talk some other time. I'm going to be late." I heard him sigh as he followed me again. He's silent the whole time as if he's thinking about something. "You should eat before you leave." I turned to him and nodded. "I will. You should go now." "Kelly, we're on the same page, right?" I stared at him. No, Pierce. We're never on the same page. All of this was just my stupid fantasy. I thought you had feelings for me, and I was so wrong. "If it's about the divorce, I understand everything, Pierce. I know what I have to do. Just give me some time because I'm really busy with the company. I won't run away." "Kelly, I'm not just doing this for myself. I'm doing this for you too. You've been caged with me ever since we got married. I know you're not happy because deep down, you want to find the man you deserve. Someone who will truly love you. Not me. Not someone who's half-hearted." "I understand what you're trying to say, Pierce," I said, trying to turn away, but he held me by the waist, keeping me in place. He did everything he could to capture my gaze, and he succeeded. He looked at me worriedly. "You are my best friend. I don't want to lose you, Kels. You're one of the few people I..." "I know," I said out of frustration. He looked shocked, so I took a breath to calm myself. "I-I know. You don't have to worry. I'm just stressed about work. It's not about our divorce." His lips parted, and he slowly nodded, as if he could finally breathe properly. He walked toward me, and I froze when he gently kssed my forehead... "Thank you, Kelly," he whispered. My heart clenched. It had been three years, but I was still such a coward. Why couldn't I just tell him that I loved him? He's my husband, and I'm carrying his baby! If I told him, he might change his mind! I swallowed hard, ready to speak, but his phone rang. I didn't miss the caller ID. Again, it was Lexi. "I gotta go." He scratched his head in apology, and I didn't miss the upturned corners of his mouth. "I called Luke, and he's waiting outside. Eat before you go, okay?" With that, he left our room. The tears I had managed to hold back burst forth again. Why did I think I could have a chance? He had made his choice the moment he asked for a divorce, hadn't he? Whenever it came to Lexi, I was always the one he would abandon. Chapter 3 Kelly's POV--Stiff Upper Lip I entered the studio wearing two-inch red heels and a red dress. Everyone turned to look as I walked down the hallway, greeting me with smiles, but my face remained stoic, not showing any emotions at all. The conversation with Pierce this morning lingered in my mind, but I couldn't let it affect my work. I couldn't fail my work after I had failed my marriage. I took a deep breath to steady myself. However, when I entered the photoshoot room, I could notice everyone was in chaos. "We can't! She's not answering her calls. What should we do? The Vice President is coming today. She'll be furious." "We can just tell her the truth. She's nice." "Not in this situation, Lily! She'll scold us--" "What's happening here?" I asked, stepping further into the room. The staff turned to me with worried expressions, and I knew then that something was wrong. "G-Good morning, Miss Monroe." Miss Monroe. Of course, no one knew that Pierce and I were married except for our families. I felt a pinch in my heart because of that truth. It hurt. I stared at her blankly, "What? "W-We have a problem, Miss Monroe. Miss Chen, our model, has been refusing our calls. She said she heard that we're changing the model, so...she doesn't want to come here. She's even threatening to file a case against us." She bowed her head, and I gritted my teeth, scanning the room. "Where's the marketing manager?" "S-She's still trying to convince Miss Chen, Miss Monroe." I massaged my forehead, squeezing my eyes closed. I grabbed my hair and screamed in so much anger, causing everyone around me to jump in shock. I ganed, sucking in a breath before looking around. "Miss Monroe..." "What is this, Miss Hayley? You're the marketing manager. What's happening?" "Miss Monroe, I don't know how it happened, but Miss Chen heard that you're changing our model. She's about to file a case against us--" Changing the model? How had I not known about this? Miss Chen had always been a trusted partner, and if not necessary, changing models for a commercial shoot on short notice would only create chaos for the company. I would never allow such a costly mistake. "I never asked for that. You must be mistaken." I cut her off to save the time, "Fix this mess, or I'll have to fire you!" "Miss Monroe... It's Mr. President who ordered the change." Hayley spoke hesitantly. "He instructed us as soon as he returned from his business trip yesterday." The truth hit me hard. Pierce's order? Why hadn't he told me? He used to discuss every major decision with me first. "It shouldn't be..." Confusion clouded my mind. Pierce was not a clueless businessman; he maintained a clear distinction between work and personal matters, which was why he always succeeded. And that was also why he chose to keep our marriage a secret. "Yes, Kelly. I gave the order." The voice pulled me back. "M-Mr. President..." Hayley bowed in respect as the man suddenly appeared behind me. "I think you owe me an explanation, Pierce. About changing the model!" I snapped as I turned to face him. He knew how much effort I had put into securing this project. I hadn't slept well for days, and Miss Chen was the perfect fit for us. He had agreed too. But now... he just changed the model as he liked without informing me in advance. It felt like a hard sp in the face. "Go ahead with the work. I'll explain it to her." He pacified the staff first, ignoring the anger simmering in my eyes. "Answer me, Pierce! Why did you change the model so suddenly?" I couldn't contain my fury. He touched my shoulder and whispered, "This isn't the place to talk. Let me explain in the car." I glanced around, noticing others sneaking glances at us. I shook off his hand and walked toward the parking lot, my heart growing heavier with each step. I had a sinking feeling I wouldn't like his explanation. "Now, say it," I blurted once we were seated in his car. He stared into my eyes as if weighing my emotions. I looked away again.; I couldn't bear his gaze. I couldn't withstand his eyes that never looked at me the way I wanted him to. He had no feelings for me and it hurt so much. "I-I..." he paused, sighing. "I replaced Miss Chen because Lexi wants to be our model. She's also a good fit, so I agreed--" "What?" I asked in disbelief. He pressed his lips together and looked away, ruffling his hair in frustration before shaking his head and holding my hand. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It was just so sudden. She asked for a favor, and I couldn't say no." I pulled my hand away, looking at him with a mix of pain and anger. "You can't say no to her, so you'd rather harm the company--our company. You've betrayed me, Pierce." "Kels, come on. You know how much I love her. She's my first love." Painfully, I closed my eyes. Oh yes, she was your first love. She's always the one you want, no matter the cost. As long as she frowns a bit, you turn a blind eye to the pain and effort of others. You're so heartless, Pierce. "Well, you've made your decision. I don't have a say in this since you're the President. Just go. I'll be in the office." I said coldly, opening the car door to leave. "Kelly..." I looked him in the eyes. "Go home early. Let's talk about our divorce at home tonight." Chapter 4 Kelly's POV--Left High and Dry I was playing with the wedding ring on my finger. I told him to go home early, but he didn't come home at all. He wasn't even answering my calls. Well, now Lexi was back; this house was probably not home in his eyes anymore. My eyes turned to my pregnancy report on the table. What a mockery. I was still naive to hold a glimmer of hope that things would be different if I told him about the baby. But forget this baby thing was out of his plan. I wiped away the tears collecting at the corners of my eyes and picked up the report. It was 5 a.m. already when I looked at the clock on the wall. I tried to dial his number again, but it was still busy. What was he busy with? Was he busy staying with Lexi? He must have missed her a lot, didn't he? I didn't remember how I fell asleep. When the alarm clock went off, he didn't come home yet. I sneered at myself as I caught my reflection in the dresser mirror. The dark circles under my eyes were so clear, and my hair was a total mess, looking like a ghost. Suddenly, a wave of nausea flooded my stomach, and I realized I hadn't eaten anything last night. Feeling sick again, I ran to the sink and puked. I spat yellowish liquid, and while I was washing my mouth, I felt a warm hand caressing my back. I immediately lifted my face and met a pair of brown eyes looking at me through the mirror. Standing behind me with a worried expression was my husband, Pierce. I had always been thankful to have him as my best friend and husband, but now... I'm losing him. Hopelessly losing him. "Are you okay? Are you not feeling well? You should've told me." I stared at him through the mirror. "You didn't answer my calls." Guilt flickered in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I had some things to do. I stayed in the office all night." I wiped my face and walked past him. He followed me as I sat in front of the vanity and started combing my hair. "Kels..." "I woke up late. I failed to prepare breakfast." I tried to avoid his eyes. I felt like I would lose my temper and snap at him. There was no moment when I felt his selfishness so clearly as now. He called me his best friend, yet he had never seriously confronted my needs. My feelings. "Kels... you know I'm not asking about this. I'm just worried about your condition..." "Kels, are we still okay?" I stopped combing my hair and slowly met his eyes. Through the mirror, again. Really? He's asking me that? After he offered me a divorce without even asking if I was okay with it? He decided on his own, just because his first love is back. I couldn't believe him. I faked a smile. "I just don't feel well today, Pierce." He immediately squatted beside me, which was not surprising because I knew he truly cared. What surprised me was why he was still doing this after he buried a dagger in my heart. "Are you okay?" He gently touched my forehead and neck. "Are you sick? Tell me how you feel, Kels." "My feelings don't matter," I couldn't help but blurt out. He looked shocked by what I said. When I attempted to avoid him, he grabbed my wrist and made me face him. His face was mirroring his anger now. He was completely lost his patience. "What's wrong with you, Kels? You've been acting like this since yesterday. Is this about Lexi? Or was it because I didn't come home last night?" I looked him in the eyes, annoyed. "You're the one who asked for a divorce! I told you to come back earlier, but you just let me wait the whole night. How do you want me to greet you this morning, Pierce?" He clenched his jaws and shook his head. "Kels, I..." "Enough. We can talk about the divorce after work today." "Kels!" He called and grabbed my shoulders. Confusion and pain were visible in his eyes. "Are you... in love with me?" I was taken aback. In love? Yes! Ever since we were in high school. Ever since he became my best friend. Who wouldn't fall for someone who had been protecting you ever since? But of course, I couldn't tell him. It would only complicate things more. I didn't even want him to pity me. I shook my head and pushed his arms away. "Are you on dgs? I'm not in love with you." I turned my back on him and entered the bathroom again. I locked it before going to the bathtub. I should focus on myself. I can't let my emotions affect me, but... why are my tears falling again? "You are so pathetic, Kelly! You can't even tell him how you truly feel," I whispered to myself as I wiped my tears angrily. It took me almost an hour to bathe. When I was done, I realized Pierce had already left. I shook my head in disbelief. He's been constantly abandoning me. I can't believe we've reached this point. I thought we were okay. I was so stupid. * "Good morning, Miss Monroe..." "Good morning, Vice President..." I did not greet anyone back, just like how I used to greet them. I still felt pissed, and my mood seemed off. Irritation could easily take over me, and I couldn't control it. Probably because of Pierce's divorce proposal or because of my pregnancy. I was about to enter my office when I heard two girls talking. "Did you see her? I bet she's Mr. Anderson's girlfriend. They seemed close." My forehead creased. Pierce's girlfriend? "Ah! It's a waste that I didn't see her face, but I feel like it's Miss Lexi." "Lexi? Lexi Gilbert? The model?" "Yes! I bet my whole month's salary on this. They look good together." "Come on! Miss Monroe and Mr. Anderson look better together." "Are you serious? They're best friends. You know, some people are better off just friends. It's Mr. Anderson and Miss Monroe." I squeezed my eyes closed and pushed the door of my office. I slowly closed it and rested my back against it. This is harder than I expected. I took a deep breath and sat in my swivel chair. I opened the computer at the same time a notification popped up on the screen of my phone. My hands started shaking as soon as I saw the notification. It was Pierce's social media update. He uploaded a photo of him and Lexi together, eating in a fancy restaurant. I balled my fists and gritted my teeth. See, Kelly? That's what happens when you step into such a loveless marriage without a second thought. You would only break yourself if you continued on the wrong path. Just get a divorce. Spare him and yourself. Your baby needs a strong mommy... ...... ==== Marrying her best friend was a dream come true for Kelly, but everything truly has a limitation. Pierce is Kelly's first love, but as his best friend, she knew well there was always another woman deep in his heart, Lexi Gilbert. Kelly finally realized their happy marriage of the last three years was just a beautiful dream when Pierce asked for a divorce just because Lexi returned. She could only be his best friend even if she was carrying his baby. Since their friendship had become a cage, Kelly chose to set him free, as well as the miserable herself. But why then, it was Pierce who became the one who refused to move on? To make matters worse, her devil stepbrother also domineeringly stepped in at the same time, asking her to be his. What happens next? How could Kelly save her heart in this battle of love and hate? Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app) &3&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/61818322-fb_contact-e	Heat stories	https://www.facebook.com/61563777993401/	341	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	VIDEO		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/61818322-fb_contact-encp25_2-1103-core3.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=331118&accid=1435595577085911&rawadid=120213581771380597	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/465868433_921307369332769_2683984704754709909_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=j30oPoynJtUQ7kNvgHMVs1G&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AewWbZYmgUjOoVzhl9NyqVy&oh=00_AYAoDGn2DJeTM1OEyQ8ETHW2reiYRkRnim_BnW9dPpGMCQ&oe=675C0D9A	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Heat stories	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,610,821	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":true,"simple_request_ratio":0.5584415584415584,"is_bh_selenium":null,"selenium_ratio":null,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-12-08 19:06	active	1974			VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/rachaelkrotec	rachaelkrotec	https://www.instagram.com/_u/rachaelkrotec	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram Profile	instagram.com	CAROUSEL		http://instagram.com/rachaelkrotec	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/457737982_1152713885804429_8186367249645950022_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s206x206_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=525117&_nc_ohc=jTuEasiVu4cQ7kNvgG3Ll-7&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AYD-KDtCTwqZtCr7l7Zrb9nAaHaqcB_4LtTRIQehDLj_sg&oe=675BEBD7	IG_ADS_IDENTITY	1	rachaelkrotec	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,870	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	68rfe Diesel. 48re 47re transmission G56 Nv5600 Nv4500	68rfe Diesel. 48re 47re transmission G56 Nv5600 Nv4500 - $2,250.00 We have lots of transmissions. 68rfe 48re 47re G56 Nv5600 Nv4500 Transfer case automatic ECM 6.7 5.9 12v 24v Parts diesel parts Let me know what you need. Any questions call 719859one970 Cummins turbo diesel dodge ford powerstruck We buy trucks for sale or trade.Let me know Mega cab regular cab four doors and more rust free Facebook Marketplace	CONTACT_US	https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/106157430537	Jim Hirsch	https://www.facebook.com/Jim-Hirsch-102020865843625/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Contact us		IMAGE		https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/1061574305372441/	1969-12-31 18:00		REGULAR_PAGE	1	Jim Hirsch	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,342	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	Make a difference	Giggi and her siblings have a miracolous story 🐾‼ At just 4 weeks old, they were left all alone with no one to care for them. Their mum was cruelly poisoned and shovved in a plastic sack. Unable to fend for themselves, her 9 puppies were left to die. Time was of the essence for their survival. They were urgently brought to our hospital and given the medical care and affection they desperately needed. They are safe now, but they need your help. WIth a gift today, you can help Giggi and her siblings fight for the life they deserve✨ . Will you help us help them?	DONATE_NOW	https://support.soidog.org/content/will-you-help-p	Soi Dog Foundation	https://www.facebook.com/SoiDogPageInEnglish/	1,347,917	1969-12-31 18:00	Donate now	rescue.soidog.org	VIDEO		https://support.soidog.org/content/will-you-help-puppies-need?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=p-social&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}&utm_term={{adset.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439412702_950052506695923_6392704965023013034_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=nmhsX_sj8z4Q7kNvgEW2m0A&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AhW0mG10hBACzQTSElIMJBI&oh=00_AYBFrwvv8fAWHMWjG_gf0RT4YDyj314xa0LIHiM45ocQjg&oe=675C0DB2	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Soi Dog Foundation	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,613,266	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2613262}'	No	2024-12-08 19:42	active	1976	💕 Biglaang Kasalan📖🔥📖👉I-click upang makakita kaagad ng mas kapana-panabik na nilalaman👈	“Papakasalan kita.” Ang narinig ni Xavier. Lumingon siya at nakita niya ang isang magandang babae na may itim na mga mata. Tumingin siya sa kanya at napaisip siya kung bakit iyon gagawin ng babae para sa isang taong hindi niya kilala. “Papakasalan kita,” muling sinabi ni Jessica. ”Ano?” Sabi ni Xavier, binaba niya ang phone mula sa kanyang tainga upang tumingin sa babae. Paano niya naisip na magpakasal sa kanya kung wala siyang kaalam-alam tungkol sa kanya? “Mula ka ba sa marriage service?” Tanong ni Xavier. Nagulat si Jessica sa tanong niya. “Hindi,” sabi niya habang kinakagat ang kanyang mga labi. Sigurado siya na nasira na ang kanyang makeup dahil sa kakaiyak niya. “Kailangan mo ng mapapangasawa, hindi ba?” Tanong ni Jessica habang sumisinghot siya. “Oo, tama ka,” sagot ni Xavier. Naisip niya na posibleng siya na ang sagot sa kanyang problema. “Iniwan ako ng groom ko sa araw ng kasal ko. Hindi ko na ikukwento sayo ang mga detalye pero nakikita ko na kailangan mo ng mapapangasawa. Pwede akong maging asawa mo.” Sabi ni Jessica. Tiningnan siyang maigi ni Xavier. Mukha naman siyang matino maliban sa nasirang makeup sa mukha niya. Ibinalik niya ang phone sa kanyang tainga. "Magpakasal na tayo. Kailangang-kailangan ko ng mapapangasawa”sabi ni Xavier at tumango si Jessica. “Bigyan mo ako ng ilang minuto para linisin ang mukha ko. Magkita na lang tayo sa loob.” Sabi ni Jessica. Mas mabilis siyang natapos. Tiningnan siya ni Xavier mula ulo hanggang paa at naisip niya na at least hindi pangit ang pakakasalan niya. “Walang mga witness?” Nagtanong ang judge habang nakangiti kay Xavier. Agad na nakahalata si Jessica na maimpluwensya si Xavier dahil kilala siya ng judge at kaya niyang magpareserve ng isang private room. “Kung ganun, tatawag ako ng dalawang tao para tumayo bilang mga witness,” dagdag ng judge bago siya tumawag ng dalawang tao. Isang lalaki at isang babae. Ang lalaki ay tatayo bilang witness para kay Xavier at ang babae naman ay para kay Jessica. Mas maikli ang proseso nito kaysa sa iniisip niya at hindi nagtagal ay legal siyang naikasal sa isang lalaking hindi niya kilala. “Simula ngayon, kayong dalawa ay ganap nang mag-asawa.”	LEARN_MORE	https://grounpcorp.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=144	Philip Spicy Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61561349855790/	53,824	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	grounpcorp.com	DCO	💑💑Baby,Maligayang pagdating sa mundo ng mga nasa hustong gulang😍💘	https://grounpcorp.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=14487&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/t39.35426-6/462091810_863528525758479_8285587723655056533_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=oM0tvNVuEGMQ7kNvgGnspzh&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AN4PyiTQn4azCN8ETF_WhoG&oh=00_AYCTjdpMy_DIComfuhvIFUvvG7t_bNNAuR8gQ5OSqsv4AQ&oe=675C25B9	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Philip Spicy Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,552	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2616553}'	Yes	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	New 2024 Subaru WRX Premium \| $36,159	VIN:JF1VBAH62R9814664	LEARN_MORE	https://www.quantrellsubaru.com/inventory/new-2024	Quantrell Subaru	https://www.facebook.com/QuantrellSubaru/	1,202	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	quantrellsubaru.com	CAROUSEL	VIN:JF1VBAH62R9814664	https://www.quantrellsubaru.com/inventory/new-2024-subaru-wrx-premium-all-wheel-drive-4-door-jf1vbah62r9814664?alstad_source=car&alstad_vin=JF1VBAH62R9814664&alstad_year=2024&alstad_make=Subaru&alstad_model=WRX&alstad_condition=new&alst_action=car&alst_action_value=JF1VBAH62R9814664	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469614117_588731966879438_130411339403621830_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Wih2LisnSu4Q7kNvgFZb4AA&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AlU7t5j4gP34C1_LYGj1_38&oh=00_AYBDvQ2zOFqaE5QaLTb8Gw7FrcsrQ5WVe3uuTgukMekSKQ&oe=675C0BEA	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Quantrell Subaru	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
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2,614,594	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":false,"simple_request_ratio":0.9995393827729157,"is_bh_selenium":false,"selenium_ratio":1,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-12-08 19:42	active	1976	They charge $500+ for this. I give it away for $0.00	Retiring soon? I have some good news, and some bad news... The good news? We're now living longer than ever. (Amazing, right?) The bad news? Your retirement savings probably won't keep up. And Social Security... well, that's another story… But don't worry - in this brief video, you’ll discover: ✅Why you'll likely outlive your current retirement plan ✅The massive risk your financial advisor might have missed ✅A proven solution to guarantee you'll never run out of money 👇 Watch now to protect your retirement future	LEARN_MORE	https://go.rhcallc.com/cal-embed-the-good-news-isj	Scott Harrison - RH Capital Advisors	https://www.facebook.com/61569340612533/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	go.rhcallc.com	VIDEO		https://go.rhcallc.com/cal-embed-the-good-news-isjtkxph6u	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469366296_8819349281516088_6103349472698975309_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=7IwAwiBF6JwQ7kNvgGuJH3A&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ARnLnRoVNJmP2HILisbbhEy&oh=00_AYD0bHixE6vtUFlXO5ZzWulnSTL6GoOkbCVoWBNT_auB_Q&oe=675C0AFA	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Scott Harrison - RH Capital Advisors	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,612,416	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-12-08 19:12	active	1975	2 Beds 1 Bath - House	2 Beds 1 Bath - House - $275,000.00 📣We are selling our home For Sale Buy Owner in Ft. Pierce, FL (White City)!! 📱 772.631.0232 for a private showing! This is a GREAT starter home on almost a 1/2 acre, fully fenced w/ a brand New Metal Roof! 📍 2404 Elizabeth Ave, Ft Pierce 34982 💰 Asking $275,000.00 🏡 Built in 1957 - CBS - 1360 sq ft - 2/1 w/ a separate entrance office & a FLEX room (easily convertible to a 3/2) 💫Newly Renovated Farmhouse Kitchen with/ all Wi-Fu SS appliances 💦 2022 Double filtration water system & reverse osmosis drinking 💫HVAC: 2016 💫 12x24 Shed w/ Separate electric panel and 240 outlet. 💫 2nd Shed - 4’x8’ 💫Room for a pool!!! 💫 Well and Septic (city hook up is available) Facebook Marketplace	CONTACT_US	https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/595151309616	Kelly A White	https://www.facebook.com/Kelly-A-White-102827174626110/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Contact us		IMAGE		https://facebook.com/marketplace/item/595151309616884/	1969-12-31 18:00		REGULAR_PAGE	1	Kelly A White	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,618,858	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2619030}'	Yes	2024-12-09 09:00	active	1978	Parable Christian Store of St. Joseph	Best Christmas shopping EVER! Grab your favorites before they are GONE! Store wide sale-making EVERYTHING a great deal! ♥️ 10-6 Mon-Sat 2913 Niles Ave	CALL_NOW		Parable Christian Store of St. Joseph	https://www.facebook.com/parable49085/	2,766	1969-12-31 18:00	Call now		IMAGE	So much more than just books...locally owned, full service store w/gifts personalized on site, free g		1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469943074_1094953668508083_3480675820168209168_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hVHHhfh80uQQ7kNvgHcSEHd&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Af8zxaAaFqv3wtlCYJGbwIN&oh=00_AYA0PrWp0ztn3d3CXzYfNMROyMNODqLqw2qjwt-Afd0JcQ&oe=675CE23C	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Parable Christian Store of St. Joseph	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,613,485	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2613390}'	No	2024-12-08 19:42	active	1976	🔞🔥 Continuer la lecture ➤➤	(Lily POV) Today is my 14th birthday. There will not be birthday cake, singing, or a party. Instead, we are attending a funeral. My sister's funeral, to be exact. Before my sister... died... we had a large party planned for me. I normally do not have a big party, but 14th birthdays are a really big event to werewolves. They are the day that we first meet our wolves. The next monumental birthday is our 20th birthday; that is when can first identify our fated mates. I am our Beta’s youngest daughter, and my father is loved and well-respected. Everyone was excited to meet my wolf and to see what type of wolf she would be. Thus, the guest list for my party was pretty large, and it included ranked wolves from nearby packs. I am normally a little bit of a loner, hence why I usually do not have a big birthday party. However, for this particular occasion, I was happy to have a lot of guests. Meeting your wolf comes with the first shift/ transition, and that can be incredibly painful. As inherently social creatures, the only thing known to help wolves with the pain of the first shift is to have supportive family, friends, and community around you. The way that it typically works is that the pack will host a dinner or barbeque in your honor. As night falls, and the moon replaces the sun in the sky, everyone will gather inside the pack amphitheater. The shifter-to-be will stand in the middle of the amphitheater while guests quietly chant well wishes and prayers to the Moon Goddess. The energy in the space can be electrifying for everyone present, no matter whether there are 25 attendees or 500. Once the first shift is completed, the new wolf will prance around the stage and strut their stuff. The crowd will “ooh” and “aah” until the pack alpha approaches, learns the new wolf’s name, and introduces the wolf to the crowd. The new wolf will also swear his or her allegiance to the pack and to the alpha, allowing the wolf to mind-link with other pack wolves. Finally, the new wolf and any guests old enough to shift will go for a pack run. The whole process is incredibly special and exciting. As you might imagine, décor is also an important part of the party planning process. Each shifter gets to decide the decorations and party theme that will be used for their party. If more than one wolf turns 14 on the same day, the wolves can either agree on a theme or split the party into parts that they can individually decorate. The pack luna will then work some sort of magic that somehow blends the individual areas into one cohesive theme in the center. My birthday is in October, and despite how large our pack is, I am the only one born on that day. I love having an October birthday because my favorite season is fall. For my décor, I had picked flowers and decorations in rich fall colors, including deep oranges, reds, and greens. Unfortunately, none of my party decorations will be used. Or rather, none of my decorations will be used for me. As I mentioned, we are holding a funeral today instead. My oldest sister, Stephanie, died this morning. Pack and religious tradition dictates that we must hold funerals within 24 hours of death. Because Stephanie died shortly after midnight, her funeral must be held today. All food and décor set aside for my birthday party was therefore immediately diverted for the funeral; thankfully my fall themed colors were sufficiently somber-ish to work. All decorations that seemed relatively “happy”, celebratory, or that mention me have been removed. Pictures of Stephanie have now been placed on tables and podiums, and the music I selected has been swapped out for songs about loss or Stephanie’s favorites. The loss of Stephanie is a really hurting. Not only was she my sister and my parents’ oldest and favorite child, she was also widely anticipated to be the mate of Alpha Randall’s son, James, which meant she was most likely the future luna of our pack. Stephanie would have turned 20 in three months, and she and James would have been able to confirm that they were mates then. The pack was so sure that they were mates —and Alpha Randall was so eager to turn the pack over to James and his mate, once she was identified and ready to take on the luna position— that they deviated from standard protocols and decided to begin Stephanie’s Luna training just after she turned 18. If I am being completely honest, something never sat right with me about Stephanie starting Luna training. Part of it is what Stephanie's Luna training meant for me, but that is a separate conversation. The biggest thing was that I did not understand why luna training could not wait until Stephanie turned 20 and could confirm who her mate was. Lunas for generations have waited for their training; why couldn't Stephanie? It also bothered me quite a bit to watch Stephanie hang all over James at pack functions. Our pack frowned upon dating and public displays of affection prior to finding your mate; it created too much risk for problems, anger, and jealousy once your mate was located. For whatever reason, an exception was made for Stephanie. But then again, exceptions always were made for her. Stephanie was strong and absolutely beautiful, and the pack knew her as being kind, smart, and energetic. She could do no wrong in the eyes of my parents, the alpha, or the pack. I hope I do not sound too jealous or bitter. I loved my sister, and her death is hitting me really hard. It’s just that…. I knew a different side of my sister than everyone else, and I know more than anyone that my sister was far from perfect. Had I spoken up before she died, I would have been accused of jealousy and lying. And were I to speak up now, well… I would be accused of jealousy, lying, AND improperly speaking ill of the dead. It is easier to just let it go. Along with my birthday. It isn't that important anyway. I do not want to be selfish or self-centered. The only immediate problem with letting go is that --bad timing or not-- I am going to shift for the first time tonight. There is nothing I can do to stop or postpone it, as much as I would like to do so. I am worried about how it is going to go. Hopefully, during the reception, my mother or father or brother or someone will be willing to step aside with me for a 20-30 minutes just to get me through it. We could then return and act like everything is normal. Or as normal as it can be with Stephanie now gone. Sadly, I should have known that nothing in life is that easy. Chapter 2: The Little Brat (James POV) I watch sadly as the casket is carried from the temple to the burial grounds. It is a cold October day, and the gray sky and drizzly weather adds to the overall somber atmosphere. I cannot help but be impressed at how quickly the pack was able to pull everything together for Stephanie's funeral. All funerals happen quickly in our world, but because of how fast the funerals must take place, the décor and guest list is usually somewhat lacking. It is a testament to how much Stephanie was loved that they were able to put together so many beautiful floral arrangements in her honor, and that so many people were able to be here to honor her life, including many wolves from other packs. If it wasn't for it being such a horrible occasion, I would actually describe the color scheme as beautiful. Then again, fall has always been one of my favorite seasons. I am vaguely aware that we had some other function on the calendar today, but I honestly cannot think of what it was. With a large pack —the West Mountain Pack has over 10,000 members— we have a lot of functions. As the future alpha, I am expected to attend as many of them as I possibly can, but no one expects me to remember what they all are… even if I try to pretend in the moment. Unless reminded by an Omega or my amazing girlfriend, I can't even seem to remember my own mother and father's birthdays most of the time. My amazing girlfriend. I sigh, wiping a tear from my eye. She will never again be around to remind me about birthdays. Sadly, there will be no pretending that I know what today's ceremony is about. Stephanie Brogan was the love of my life, and she was my future mate and luna. I still cannot believe that she is gone. We never even got to fully experience the mate bond, including the sparks betwwen us. Had she lived just three months longer, our wolves would have confirmed one another as mates and Stephanie would have been able to formally claim her proper place in my bed and in my life. Instead of welcoming her body into my bed, I am saying good-bye to her today. I am also saying good-bye to all of our future plans and dreams together. I cannot help but feel anger and resentment about that. This is not how things were supposed to be. As I watch the funeral procession go by --my father, mother, and I, along with the beta family, must stand at the entrance as guests move from the temple to the burial grounds-- I catch a glimpse of Stephanie’s younger sister, Lily. She is standing next to her mother. She looks both sad and innocent, which causes the anger in my body to rise even more. That little brat is the reason that Stephanie is dead. *FLASHBACK TO LAST NIGHT* Stephanie and I are cuddled on the couch in the packhouse living room watching a movie. I have my hand on her arm and I am about to kiss her when she gets distracted by a text message. Stephanie did not let me see the message, which annoys me, but she quickly explains that Lily is lost in the forest after having snuck out to meet a boy. Stephanie’s sister is 13 or 14 years old. She has all the teenage acne and attitude that comes along with being that young. Unlike Stephanie —who has beautiful blond hair and hazel eyes— Lily has reddish brown hair and bright green eyes. Or at least I think they are bright green; she usually has them covered up with large black glasses. Stephanie gets up and tells me that Lily has texted her, begging her to come and find her. I am annoyed by the interruption, but I offer to go with Stephanie to get the little brat. Stephanie says Lily will be upset if anyone else knows about her little escapade. Stephanie reassures me that she will be fine, and then gives me a quick peck. My wolf and I have a bad feeling when Stephanie leaves, but Stephanie has us wrapped around her little finger. It is almost impossible for my wolf and I to disagree with her about anything. We pause the movie and decide to get some work done in my dad's office while we wait for Stephanie to get back. I am a night owl anyway, so I do not mind waiting. Unfortunately, about an hour after Stephanie leaves, I get an urgent mind-link from our pack warriors. They report that the Little Brat had been spotted running out of the woods screaming for help. Before they can say much more, I shift into my wolf form and take off running. I follow Stephanie’s scent far into the woods…. until I come to a small clearing, which is covered in Stephanie’s blood. Her bloody clothes are tossed around, and chunks of her hair are thrown about as well. It is the worst, most savage site that I have ever seen. The smell of rogues is all over, so it is fairly obvious what has happened. The a---holes didn’t even bother to leave her body. *END OF FLASHBACK* Tears threaten to continue to fall as I think back to the scene last night. I have not slept or eaten since I found what was left of Stephanie, and I am having trouble holding my emotions together. Now that my eyes have spotted Lily, my anger with her becomes a welcome distraction. I have a very hard time looking away from her. The truth is that I have always found myself strangely curious about her, but today… today all I want to do is take my anger out on someone, and she seems as good a target as anyone else. Her teenage behavior cost me my mate! And it cost this pack its future luna! My wolf, Luke, begs me to calm down. It is an interesting thing, having the wolf side try to calm the human side. As upset and angry and emotional as I am, it is tempting to ignore him and immediately start teach that Little Brat a lesson. However, I decide to follow Luke's advice after he reminds me that Stephanie deserves to have her funeral be all about her and not some whiny teenage brat. That does not mean that I am going to let Lily get away with what she has done, but I wait until a more appropriate time to take my revenge. I turn my focus back to Stephanie’s casket, which we filled with her bloody clothes, hair, and anything that could be found at the site that had her blood on it. The casket has been brought to the center of the amphitheater. The alpha and beta families take their seats in the front row, and my father and the pack priest move beside the casket to begin the ceremony. The ceremony involves a lot of prayers, rituals, and speakers. The average ceremony takes 2-3 hours, and Stephanie's will most likely take closer to 4-5 hours given her status in the pack and how beloved she was. During the ceremony, I keep trying to distract myself by looking around as others around me. I do not want to be seen as weak by curling into the fetal position and wailing like a baby, even though that is the only thing I want to do right now. My heart breaks as I glance at Stephanie’s parents next to me in the front row, holding on to one another as they cry. Seeing Stephanie’s father —a strong, powerful Beta wolf— break down is a sight I have very rarely seen. The pain in his eyes is heart-wrenching. I also notice Stephanie's brother, Nick, as he clings to his mate, Jenny. Both of them are crying as well. Nick is my best friend, and I have known him since we were tiny pups, but I have literally never seen him cry. I notice that there are no dry eyes anywhere. Even my father has a few stray tears running down his cheeks, although I am sure he would punch anyone who pointed it out. He is a proud man, just like me. As the sky continues to darken, I notice the Little Brat starting to act like she is uncomfortable in her seat. I can tell that Stephanie's mother is getting agitated, and rightly so. For once, can the Little Brat not think about something other than herself? Seriously. It is one ceremony. Just one. For an older sister who died trying to help her. How dare the Little Brat not hold herself together? The next thing I know, the moon is high in the sky and the final rites are being spoken by the priest. As exactly that moment, the Little Brat whispers something in her mother’s ear. Her mother turns and glares at her, causing the Little Brat to put her head down. I then watch as the Little Brat stands up and walks away. She looks like she is in pain, and I hope that she is. How dare she walk away from her sister’s funeral! Especially in the middle of the last rites! I am tempted to follow her and give her a piece of my mind, but Stephanie means more to me than that. I remind myself once again that I will get my revenge on Lily aka the Little Brat soon enough. For tonight, I must remain focused on the love of my life. Chapter 3: Lily Meets Rose “Y-yes.” “Good. Now open your eyes.” I opened my eyes and immediately noticed that I was not human anymore. My feet and hands were paws. I then looked into the water that pooled at the edge of the waterfall, and I saw my reflection… or rather the reflection of Rose. My heart stopped. There are many different types of wolves —alpha wolves; beta wolves; gamma wolves; warrior wolves; silver wolves; white wolves; red wolves; omega wolves. And even within those categories, there are varying sizes and colors and markings. We learn about the types of wolves in school. “Expect the unexpected” was a phrase that was often said about the first transition, but in reality your wolf generally follows your lineage: the children of alpha wolves will generally be alpha wolves; the children of beta wolves will generally be beta wolves; and so on. Typically, the big excitement —especially with children of ranked wolves— centers on the size, color, and personality of the new wolf. Looking back at me in the reflection of the pool was a type of wolf I had never seen or learned about in school. Rose’s fur was a beautiful bluish-silver color that almost glowed. On the right side of her rump was a large black crescent moon symbol, and the black coloring of that symbol matched her solid black paws and black tail. In addition, I noticed that Rose was huge. Although it was tough to tell, it appeared to me that Rose was at least as large as some alpha wolves. “What type of wolf are we, Rose?” “A special type. You will learn more as time goes on, but know that the Moon Goddess has blessed you and I, Lily.” I did not say anything; I was not sure what to say. Rose and I sat by the waterfall for a while longer, until I remembered Stephanie’s funeral. “We need to get back!” I told Rose in a panic. Rose guided me through how to transform back to our human form, and I frantically searched the nearby trees for clothes. I found a men’s t-shirt and shorts. Both were far too big for my small frame, so I opted to just put the t-shirt on. I also grabbed my eye-glasses off the ground and put them on; thankfully they did not break during the transition. Now that I had Rose, I would not need the glasses anymore because she would heal my eyes. However, Rose warned me that —for now— it was best that I continue to wear the glasses and let the pack believe that I did not yet have my wolf. I thought it was a curious thing for her to say, but I had no reason to not trust her. I hurried back to the packhouse and got into the beta suite, hoping to quickly change clothes and re-join the mourning crowd. Unfortunately, once I got in the suite, I was met with the angry, accusing eyes of my mother. “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? HOW DARE YOU MAKE A SCENE AT YOUR SISTER’S FUNERAL! HAVE YOU NO SHAME? ARE YOU SO SELFISH AND SELF-CENTERED THAT YOU CAN THINK OF NO ONE BUT YOURSELF?” I said nothing. What could I say? My mother then did something that, in my 14 years, she had never done before. She slapped me. Hard. And the beating continued from there. Chapter 4: Living in the Shadows (6 years later) (Lily POV) Six years have now passed since that fateful day that Stephanie died. I wish that I could say that life has moved on, and that we have found good in the bad... but for the most part, it isn't true. Stephanie is just as much a part of this pack today as she was before she died. And the grief felt in the pack is just as raw and angry as it was that first day. If anything has changed, it is that --instead of Stephanie being out in the center of things-- she lives on almost like a shadow over everything. She now has a couple of streets named after her --Stephanie Lane and Steffie Avenue (her nickname was "Steffie"); and you can quite literally find some of her favorite outfits on display in glass cases at various places throughout the pack. Even more bizarre, the day she died was turned into a pack holiday, as was her birthday. Everyone but pack omegas have both days off from work, school, and training, and there are somber celebrations and remembrances planned to commemorate each occasion. I once made the mistake of asking my parents whether this was a normal reaction to the death of a single she-wolf. We can love and miss her, but to continue to hold large ceremonies every year? And to treat her as a saint and forget that she had a human side too? That seemed a bit too much to me. As far as I know, the pack has never done this for any other luna or future luna, and it only honors 2-3 historical alphas in such a manner. I was rewarded for my questions by being called jealous and hateful. (I also received a significant beating, but beatings had become commonplace from my mother, so I cannot say that my question necessarily triggered the beating I received that day. Plus, the beating hurt far less than what I received before Stephanie died. But for the slight pain and who did the beating, I almost would not have minded.) Overall, I think the worst part of losing Stephanie six years ago wasn't losing Stephanie... it was how losing Stephanie impacted my relationship with my parents and other pack members. Before Stephanie died, I was well aware that Stephanie was my parents' favorite. My older brother Nick and I would even joke about it from time to time. But even though Stephanie was their favorite, they still treated me really well and loved me. They never would have raised a hand to me before Stephanie died. After Stephanie died, however, my parents could barely look at me. And when they did, I saw the unmistakable wish in their eyes that it had been me, not Stephanie, that died that fateful night. In addition, my parents stopped caring about my well-being generally. I lived in their house until I was 17, but I was responsible for my own meals and necessities. I was forced to take on a part-time job at a nearby diner just to ensure I had clothes and food to eat. (I technically could have eaten the food that was available in the packhouse, but the dirty looks and mean comments made by my parents, James, and other pack members were enough to make that an unrealistic option.) Also, in case you are wondering, I have not celebrated a birthday since Stephanie died. Not one single soul other than Rose has bothered to tell me happy birthday. No one even bothered to ask me whether I had received my wolf. That wasn't because birthdays stopped being important; it was just mine whose meaning changed. I attended plenty of birthday parties, and the pack hosted plenty of 14th birthday celebrations. In fact, I think it was because of one of those birthday celebrations that someone finally questioned whether I had received a wolf. It was a legitimate question, given that I was over 14 and never joined a pack run. Rose encouraged me early on to skip them "for safety reasons," and I was all too happy to do so. Had anyone bothered to ask me directly about my wolf or about why I was skipping the pack runs, I would have been honest... but no one ever did. Instead, a rumor spread that I was wolfless. Pack members speculated that I lost my wolf as a result of post-traumatic stress from losing Stephanie and/or guilt for what I had done to Stephanie. That latter theory was the one that really got under my skin, because I knew that was a theory and rumor spread by James. Shortly after Stephanie's funeral, he told my parents and most of the pack that Stephanie was only in the forest that night to save me. He also said I had gone out to meet a boy. I have no idea why he would say such things; I have never had a boyfriend and Stephanie was the one who asked me to meet her in the forest. This rumor was the main reason that I received a beating from my mother the night of my first shift. And it probably adds to the reason that pack members wish me dead. Notably, though, I have never dared to defend myself. To tell the truth would be the equivalent of talking negatively of both Stephanie and our future alpha.... and would likely lead to a death sentence. So instead, I have always just pushed through. One of the ways that I have survived is to hold on to the faith that one day things will be different. Another thing that I have done is take every last opportunity to leave the pack. For example, I hurried through high school so that I could graduate early, and I then went away to college. To avoid coming home, I have been loading up on credit hours and taking every term of school -including the mini winter sessions-- that I can get. I am also taking advantage of a unique expedited program offered just for werewolves doctors. Given all of these things, I actually expect that I can become a fully licensed werewolf doctor in just a couple more years. Until I become fully licensed and independent, I will have to continue to bear the shadow of my sister and the pain that comes with it. I am required to be present for both of her holidays --all pack members are; there are no exceptions-- but thankfully those are among the very few times that I can reliably be found at the Western Mountain pack these days. My ultimate goal is to meet my mate and become a pack doctor in his pack... which I pray to the Moon Goddess is not the Western Mountain pack. If, Goddess forbid, my mate is in this pack, perhaps I can convince him to transfer packs with me. Goddess willing. Tomorrow is my birthday. I guess we will find out then. Chapter 5: Without His Luna (James POV) Tomorrow will mark six years since Stephanie died. Everything and nothing has changed. I still think of Stephanie every single day. Her beautiful smile. Her laugh. The kindness that she showed to pack members. The ethusiam that she showed for her luna training. Stephanie would have been an amazing and strong luna. Had Stephanie lived, we would have been happily married by now. We would probably have already had at least two adorable pups, who would have been doted on by two loving sets of grandparents. Together, Stephanie and I would have been leading the West Mountain Pack to new heights. Of course, Stephanie is no longer here. And without Stephanie… Well, without Stephanie, I am only a fraction of the man that I used to be, and only a fraction of the wolf. Without Stephanie, I am not even Alpha yet. In our world, most alpha heirs take over from their fathers between 25 and 30 years old. That timing ensures that most alphas will have already found their mates before they take over the running of a pack. Running a pack is not easy to do by yourself. Even with a strong beta and a strong gamma, a luna’s importance to a pack cannot be underestimated. A luna brings heart and balance to a pack and to the alpha himself. She is the alpha’s equal, and she is one of the few werewolves in the pack who can get away with challenging and questioning an alpha’s decisions. If she exercises her role properly and judiciously, a luna’s presence can lead to better overall outcomes, decisions, and governing. This is especially true if the luna is the alpha’s fated mate, because it means she takes on her role with the blessing of the Moon Goddess. Alpha heirs who take over their packs prior to turning 25 typically do so either out of necessity, or because they have been fortunate to have been mated very early to a strong luna. Six years ago, when Stephanie was still alive, my father thought we were going to be part of the lucky latter category. He had been very eager to take an early retirement. He and my mother had fantasized about all the European trips and Caribbean cruises that they would take after I was sworn in as alpha, and they had already had tentative plans for at least one of those trips. Of course, all of those plans were ultimately scrapped. Today, I am old enough to take over as alpha, even without a luna by my side… but my father is concerned that I am not mentally strong enough to do so yet. He sees me as broken. My father is probably right. It is a little hard not to feel broken. The reminders of Stephanie are everywhere. Even after six long years, I feel like I cannot escape from the reminders or from my grief, and it is suffocating. The packhouse has practically turned into a mini museum to her, and almost all of the local businesses have some sort of small dedication, whether it be a dedicated drink, food item, picture, or shelf of Stephanie-inspired items. Worse, twice a year, we hold a series of ceremonies and remembrances for Stephanie. As Stephanie’s mate and as the future alpha heir, I am expected to attend every one of them. I want to be there. I know that I should be there. But… It is complete and utter torture. Every day without Stephanie is difficult, but Stephanie’s birthdays and death anniversaries always hit me the hardest. What I want to do more than anything on those two days is be by myself so that I can process my grief. There is a waterfall that I like to go to. If I could, I would spend all day there on both days. The waterfall isn’t exactly hidden, but to find it, you have to go pretty far within the woods and know where to go. As far as I know, I am the only one in our pack who ever goes there. Being at the waterfall brings me comfort; it always has. That is where I want to be when I am grieving or upset. Unfortunately, instead of spending time in the comfort of my waterfall, I have to spend the two hardest days each year out in public with almost 20,000 eyes watching my every move and every reaction. Instead of just… grieving… I have to be conscientious of how every display of emotion can impact and be perceived by the pack members. As I listen to pack members, Stephanie’s parents, and my own parents take turns telling stories about Stephanie and her good deeds, I am expected to somehow strike an impossible balance between sadness and strength. At each of the events, year after year, the remembrances are largely the same. At this point, I practically have the speeches memorized. The speeches usually include stories about how Stephanie would bake cookies and send her sister to deliver them to the guards working the late-night shift on the borders. And stories about how any time anyone was injured in training or at battle, she would not only have her sister deliver care baskets to patients at the hospital, but she would also put one together for any family members separated from them while they were recovering. My parents talk about how eager Stephanie was to take on her position as luna, and how dedicated she was to her training, even working on lessons for hours at home multiple times per week. Stephanie’s parents talk about their prior dreams for their daughter and the hole they continue to feel in their hearts. Nick talks about how family celebrations do not feel the same without Stephanie there, and Jenny talks about wishing that she still had a sister-in-law to bond with and engage in girl talk. The only blessing is that —as the grieving mate— no one expects me to say anything at these events. But that does not spare me from the staring and judgment. If I show too much sadness, pack members worry that I am weak and will not able to be the leader of the pack in the future. If I seem too stoic or show too much “strength,” pack members could perceive me being disrespectful towards Stephanie’s memory. They will also worry that my reign as alpha will lack balance and compassion…. which I already hear whispers about from time to time. Sometimes, I feel angry about the whole thing. I would never, ever expect anyone who has lost their mate to put themselves on a stage multiple times a year and be judged on whether their external grief is appropriate enough. And yet my parents have no problem doing it to me. I tried to push back once, but only once. As you can imagine, it did not go well. I started the conversation by telling my parents that I did not think it was healthy for me to be surrounded by constant reminders of Stephanie, and I told them that I thought the constant remembrances were counterproductive to my mental health. I suggested that we scale back the events, or make them more private affairs. My father got angry and accused me of being selfish. He told me that being uncomfortable and coping with the pressure of judgmental pack members is part of being an alpha. Meanwhile, my mother reminded me that the ceremonies had been Stephanie’s parents’ idea, and she asked me if I wanted to be the one to tell them it was no longer important to celebrate Stephanie’s life. No, of course I did not want to tell Stephanie's parents that. No, I did not want to be selfish. I just wanted --and still want-- to not feel so sad all the time. Six years in, and the only reprieve I ever get from my grief is when the Little Brat is around. She has made herself scarce the last few years, but when she is around, my wolf and I can sense her from a mile away. My wolf and I fight about her all the time --for some reason, Luke seems to have a soft spot for the Little Brat-- but we can agree that it is nice having her around. For me, it's because I have a worthy target for my anger and rage. Chapter 8: Daddy's Girl (Lily POV) The drive to the pack house was eerily silent. After my father and I arrived at the pack house, my father quickly exited the vehicle and headed to his office, leaving me on my own. I timidly and cautiously got into the beta suite, but I was relieved to find that my mother was already in bed. I decided to go directly to my room and try to sleep as well. Unfortunately, I ended up tossing and turning all night. The look on my father's face when talking to the guards continued to haunt me. When I did sleep, I had nightmares. Strangely, Rose seemed restless too, but other than briefly wishing me a happy birthday after it hit midnight, she did not say anything. I think the main thing that provoked my nightmares and kept me up was that my heart ached for my father. I knew that I wanted to help him with his pain and ease his suffering, but I was not sure what I could do or say to make things better. It has already been six years. If time has not helped heal his heart, what could I do? The truth is, I am not Stephanie and I never will be. The only thing I have ever known how to do for my father is to try to stay out of his way. At least for my mother, I can serve as a literal punching bag to help her relieve her grief. And for others in the pack, I can serve as both a literal and metaphorical punching bag. But, I am nothing to my father: my father has neglected me and ignored the sufferings I went through, but he has never directly participated in any of them. Perhaps that is one reason his pain upsets me more than the pain of everyone else. He is the least awful amongst my current tormentors, and I can sometimes lie to myself that he does not know or agree with how much I have suffered. I know that it probably seems strange that my heart aches for him at all, given that he is someone who, for the most part, could care less about me. However, please understand that for my own sanity, I have chosen to remember and hold on to the good times in my childhood. Of course, there is also the fact that... regardless of how my father currently feels about me... I have always been --and will probably always be-- a daddy's girl. It is just part of who I am. Since I was in diapers, I have looked up to my father and considered him to be my superhero. Before Stephanie died, I never saw an ounce of weakness in him. He was my strength and my rock. I always had an strong desire to make him proud of me. He was always the first one I ran to when I got a good grade on a test, or when I drew a picture I thought he might like. And ...before Stephanie died... he was always the first one to dry my tears when I got hurt or to give me reassuring praise when I felt down. Even though I knew Stephanie was his favorite... even though I knew Stephanie's accomplishments would always be greater, and that he would always be more proud of her... those little things mattered to me. I lived for those moments. Sigh. By 5:30 am, I gave up on any hope of further sleep. Stephanie's first remembrance event was not scheduled until 11 am, so I knew I had a little bit of time. Eager to take advantage of that time and also avoid my mother, I took a quick shower, packed a small backpack, and headed out of the house. Predictably, my feet led me to the waterfall that I had shifted in front of six years ago. I have come here at least twice a year since Stephanie died, usually on her birthday and death anniversary. The waterfall brings me an odd sense of peace. As beautiful as it is, I do not know anyone else who comes here. Perhaps that is why I like it so much. I sighed. "It is easy to tell myself that when I am away from the pack and not having to cope with the consequences. It is a lot harder to believe that I am blameless when everyone around me is crying and upset all the time. You saw my dad last night. That nearly broke me. He is still hurting so much." "That does not make any of it your fault," Rose protests. "Rose, the day before Stephanie died, I prayed that the Moon Goddess stop Stephanie from continuing to hurt me." "She was not hurting you, Lily. She was torturing you. There is nothing wrong with you praying that it stop." "There is if it cost Stephanie her life." "Lily, you are not giving the Moon Goddess enough credit. You are smarter and stronger than this. You need to stop with the emotional vomit and ---" Suddenly Rose stops talking through the link. She is pacing back in forth in my head. I have no idea what is going on, until the overwhelming scent of vanilla and coffee beans hits my nose. "Mate! Lily, our mate is here! Mate, mate, mate, mate, mate!!!" I stand, dust the ashes off of my jeans, and turn around. My heart drops when I recognize the werewolf standing about 200 feet away from me. This has to be a joke. This cannot be happening.	LEARN_MORE	https://getokn.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=10745&u	Massive story	https://www.facebook.com/61560932294131/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	getokn.com	DCO		https://getokn.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=10745&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/t39.35426-6/448731292_973317731140374_4061053005564536888_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=RyLsvYF3GEYQ7kNvgFw9pA6&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=ATv-sP0vq-UwfLGGIzBx6Wn&oh=00_AYAO8k_b-jTbVaKiRtdoGRzX-dB_qmJNXIM3S4n22mZWMw&oe=675C0E4B	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Massive story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,616,161	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	Vuelve conmigo, amor mío	En medio de la ruina económica de su familia, ella renunció a su preciado violín y se convirtió en la dócil mascota de su esposo, solo para encontrarse con el desprecio de este. Afortunadamente, ella por fin despertó, se divorció con valentía y reinició su carrera musical, alcanzando un gran éxito y provocando el remordimiento de su ex. ===== Joelle Miller examinó minuciosamente el feed de Twitter de Rebecca Lloyd, estudiando con mucha atención cada video, ansiosa por ver el rostro del novio de Rebecca. Rebecca, la protagonista de los videos, irradiaba ternura y delicadeza con su sencillo vestido blanco. Si bien no era tan bella, tenía una genuina sencillez y una sonrisa encantadora. Había descubierto que, en los días importantes, Nochebuena, San Valentín e incluso el cumpleaños de Joelle, Rebecca estaba con Adrian Miller, su supuesto esposo, quien se había ausentado de todos esos días durante los últimos tres años. Esas alegres narraciones sobre su vida con su novio fueron más que suficientes para hundirla en la tristeza. "¿Lo ven? Él siempre guarda para mí la parte más jugosa de una sandía". "Incluso cuando llega tarde a casa, siempre me trae algo". "¡Y miren esta sorpresa! Recogió de la iglesia un amuleto de bendición para mí". ...... El nombre de usuario era "Cuenta Regresiva Hacia la Muerte", la única cuenta a la que Joelle seguía. Justo cuando reflexionaba sobre el siniestro nombre, la puerta del baño se abrió. En la habitación poco iluminada apareció Adrian. Gotas de agua caían de su cabello. A pesar de la tenue iluminación, sus atractivos rasgos permanecían intactos. Joelle cerró instintivamente su celular y le dio una mirada reflexiva. Hacía mucho tiempo desde la última vez que lo vio. Esa noche él no estaba ahí por decisión propia. Su abuela, Irene Miller, estaba enferma y, como quería un bisnieto con desesperación, lo obligó a regresar. De lo contrario, tal vez nunca hubiera venido. Durante sus tres años de matrimonio, Adrian pasaba la mayor parte del tiempo en Villas Oak, por lo que rara vez estaba en casa. Todos sabían que en realidad no amaba a Joelle. Estaba atrapada en un matrimonio por conveniencia. "Solo te voy a dar una oportunidad. El destino dirá si quedas earazada o no", declaró Adrian con una voz resonante. ¿Qué quería decir? Antes de que Joelle pudiera seguir pensando, Adrian la agarró del tobillo y la atrajo hacia él. Joelle palideció ante su crueldad, su cuerpo se tensó de miedo. "¡Adrian! Basta, no quiero...". Empezó a luchar frenéticamente. Era una completa humillación verse obligada a vivir en esa situación con el hombre que amaba. Adrian hizo una mueca de desprecio. "Te atreviste a diseño una vez, así que debiste haberlo visto venir. Solo aguántalo". Ante esas duras palabras, los ojos de Joelle se llenaron de lágrimas y sus pestañas bailaron como mariposas heridas. Mirando su rostro severo, dijo con voz temblorosa: "Las cosas no fueron lo que imaginabas..." Pero sus protestas fueron interrumpidas. Su resistencia se desvaneció a medida que la desesperación se apoderaba de ella. "Has aprendido que hacerte la difícil es mucho más interesante que quedarse tirada como un pez muerto", comentó con rencor. Después de ducharse, se marchó sin mirar atrás, como si no quisiera quedarse más tiempo ahí. Joelle no entendía qué papel tenía en su vida. ¿Solo era un juguete para su placer? ¿O una herramienta para cumplir las expectativas de su familia de tener un heredero? La ventana estaba completamente abierta, por lo que entraba un gélido y cortante viento. A Joelle se le erizaron los pelos de la nuca y se arropó más con su manta. No solo temblaba de frío, sino que sentía su corazón desgarrado, ahora no conocía en absoluto al hombre que había adorado durante casi ocho años. Tres años atrás, en un lujoso banquete organizado por la familia Miller, Joelle bebió demasiado. Cuando se despertó, en la con Adrian. Antes de que pudiera asimilar lo que estaba pasando, su hermano y varios miembros de su familia irrumpieron. Ya no podía revertir lo sucedido. La abuela de Adrian tomó las riendas y organizó su matrimonio. Desde entonces, él estaba convencido de que Joelle lo había hecho a propósito. A ella le desconcertaba su profunda animosidad, por más que creyera que lo había dgado. Después de todo, habían crecido juntos. Pero ahora lo entendía todo. Para él, ella no era más que la nefasta mujer que había saboteado su relación con Rebecca. A menudo pensaba en lo perfecto que él se veía en los videos de Rebecca, siempre tan gentil y atento. Probablemente nunca le mostraría esa misma ternura. No pudo contener más las lágrimas y sucumbió a un ataque de sollozos. Esa noche no pudo dormir bien. Tuvo sueños sobre el pasado, cuando ella y Adrian no estaban en malos términos. Debido a su angustia, Joelle se levantó inusualmente temprano. Después de lavarse, se puso ropa de casa y bajó las escaleras. Leah Jenkins, la empleada doméstica con muchos años de servicio, la vio bajar y rápidamente puso la mesa con el desayuno, ya que conocía sus preferencias dietéticas. Joelle se tomó su tiempo para comer lentamente. "Señora Miller, ¿por qué anoche no convenció a su esposo para que se quedara? No viene a casa a menudo", comentó Leah con simpatía. Había sido sirvienta de la familia Miller durante muchos años, por lo que había visto cómo los dos se convertían de amigos de la infancia a enemigos. Joelle se mostró incómoda, pero lo ocultó con una sonrisa serena. "Lo intenté, pero no quiso quedarse". Incluso si pudiera mantener a Adrian cerca, él tenía el corazón en otra parte. Más concretamente, en Villas Oak, el hogar de la mujer que realmente amaba. Leah dudó y agregó con cautela: "Tal vez sea porque el señor Miller está muy ocupado con la empresa. Dirigir una compañía tan grande requiere mucho tiempo". Tres años atrás, le habían reasignado para cuidar de Joelle, así que entendía los entresijos de ese matrimonio mejor que nadie. Su perspicacia trajo consigo una sincera simpatía hacia ella. Las pestañas de Joelle temblaron mientras mordisqueaba su tostada. Sus ojos se llenaron de lágrimas debido a la tensión emocional. Sí, Adrian estaba muy ocupado, pero siempre tenía tiempo para Rebecca. Frecuentaba la Iglesia Redención en busca de un amuleto de bendición para ella. A pesar de su apretada agenda, siempre pasaba las vacaciones con ella. De repente, su celular rompió el silencio. Cuando Leah salió del comedor, Joelle agarró el dispositivo y vio que era una llamada de su mejor amiga, Katherine Nash. "Katherine, quiero el divorcio", confesó con voz ronca. Capítulo 2 En declive Joelle había tomado una decisión: quería el divorcio. No tenía sentido seguir alargándolo. Tras un silencio atónito, Katherine soltó una estridente carcajada. "¿Te quedarás con la mitad de los bienes de Adrian? ¡Oh, por Dios! ¡Joelle, te convertirás en una multimillonaria!". "No, no será así". Joelle había firmado un acuerdo cuando se casó con Adrian. Si se divorciaban, ella no recibiría nada. "Entonces, ¿por qué te estás divorciando? ¡Tienes que seguir siendo su esposa!". Joelle recordó la brutalidad de Adrian la noche anterior, así como la humillación posterior. Había sido muy ingenua al creer que su amor por él la ayudaría a soportar cualquier dificultad. Pero ahora sabía que había sido una completa tonta. ¿El sufrimiento hacía que Adrian la amara más? Claro que no. Para empezar, un hombre que realmente la amara nunca le haría sufrir. Joelle se rio de sí misma y cambió de tema: "Por cierto, ¿recuerdas el favor que te pedí?". "Sí, justo te iba a contar eso. Me pediste que estuviera atenta a un trabajo, y tengo algo para ti. Vas a enseñar a un estudiante a tocar el violín, aunque debo decir que será un desperdicio de tu talento". "Está bien", respondió Joelle con una leve sonrisa. "No será un desperdicio en absoluto. Llevo tres años siendo ama de casa. Es suficiente con que alguien quiera contratarme". "¿Cómo que no será un desperdicio? Casi formaste parte de una orquesta internacional. Si no fuera por el matrimonio…". Katherine se quedó en silencio, demasiado indignada por su amiga. Después de su boda, a Joelle ni siquiera le permitieron trabajar. Las familias adineradas se aferraban a esas reglas obsoletas. Era bastante ridículo. Hacía tres años, la carrera de Joelle como violinista despegaba. Pero las estrictas tradiciones de la familia Miller le prohibían tocar en público. El primer día de su matrimonio, la madre de Adrian le dijo: "No tienes que trabajar. Adrian te proveerá en todo lo que necesites. Tu único trabajo es tener bebés y cuidar a tu esposo". Una vez que terminó su llamada con Katherine, Joelle subió las escaleras y fue al estudio para agarrar su violín abandonado. Había sido un regalo especial de su padre en su decimoctavo cumpleaños. No obstante, poco después de recibirlo, este sufrió un derrame cerebral y cayó en coma. Su hermano mayor terminó asumiendo la responsabilidad de sustentar a la familia, así que la dejó perseguir su sueño de tocar el violín. Mientras recordaba el pasado, Joelle movió el arco sobre las cuerdas. Años atrás, un accidente le había lesionado la muñeca y desde entonces no había vuelto a tocar. A pesar del dolor agudo que sentía en esa zona mientras tocaba, no se detuvo y confió en su memoria muscular para tocar una pieza corta. Al final, soltó una risa amarga. Sonaba horrible. De repente, escuchó la alegre voz de Leah en la puerta. "¡Señor, ha regresado!". Estaba secretamente aliviada de ver a Adrian, ya que eso tal vez significaba que todavía se preocupaba por Joelle. Quizás si ella le decía algo amable, su relación podría mejorar. Por su parte, Joelle estaba sorprendida. Adrian rara vez venía a casa durante el día. Apenas había dejado el violín cuando se abrió la puerta. Ahí estaba la alta e imponente figura de su esposo. Sus ojos la recorrieron con el ceño fruncido. Recordaba que Joelle había aprendido a tocar el violín cuando era niña y que un reconocido profesor la había elogiado por su talento. Sin embargo, por alguna razón, había dejado de tocar. Hacía un momento, la había escuchado desde afuera y le pareció una interpretación mediocre. ¿Cómo era posible que la elogiara por su talento? Joelle lo miró y bajó la cabeza para volver a guardar el violín en su estuche. "¿Qué te trae por aquí?", murmuró. "¿Necesitas algo?". "Vine a recoger algo y recordarte que mañana tenemos que visitar a la abuela", respondió él fríamente. Era una regla familia visitar a su abuela al menos una vez al mes, y mañana era el día. De no ser por esa obligación, Adrian no habría regresado. Irene se enfadaría si no iban juntos. Joelle sonrió con amargura. Recordaba las normas de los Miller mejor que Adrian y siempre las cumplía. Ni siquiera Irene, tan estricta como siempre, podía encontrarle defectos. "No lo he olvidado, me alegra que tú tampoco lo hayas hecho", respondió. Su tono acusatorio hizo que Adrian pusiera una mueca. Una ira latente empezó a hervir dentro de él. Sin decir nada más, se dirigió al vestidor para buscar algo. Aunque él no solía estar en casa, Joelle aseaba meticulosamente su guardarropa, por lo que tenía la ropa lavada, planchada y ordenada. Era como si su papel se redujera a realizar las tareas del hogar, algo que Leah también podía hacer. Su única ventaja, tal vez, era ser más joven y más guapa que Leah. Sus ojos siguieron los movimientos de Adrian. Tenía el dedo anular desnudo, sin el anillo de bodas. Una punzada de dolor le atravesó el corazón. "Adrian, hay que divorciarnos", declaró con una voz tan suave como la brisa. Había agotado todas sus fuerzas al pronunciar esas palabras, pero se sintió extrañamente aliviada. Adrian se dio la vuelta y la miró con una sonrisa burlona. "Tienes que pensar muy bien antes de hablar. La familia Watson está en declive. Sin mi apoyo, ¿vas a dormir en la calle con tu hermano?". Desde la caída de la familia Watson, Joelle pasó de ser amada a quedar en ridículo. La familia Miller la despreciaba y la miraba por encima del hombro, como si ella y su hermano fueran sanguijuelas de las que no podían librarse. Incluso sus momentos íntimos con Adrian la hacían sentir degradada. Joelle se mordió el labio y se enderezó. "Ya he alquilado un apartamento. Incluso si terminara durmiendo en la calle, es asunto mío". Solo quería que su esposo la respetara, pero tres años de cautiverio la habían dejado sin orgullo ni dignidad. "¿Y de dónde sacaste el dinero para alquilar un apartamento? Si tanto querías ser independiente, no deberías haber gastado ni un solo centavo de mi familia". De espaldas a ella, Adrian encontró entre unos muebles el anillo de bodas perdido y lo sostuvo en la palma de su mano. Joelle no se dio cuenta. Las palabras de ese hombre la dejaron sin aliento. Sí, había utilizado sus escasos ahorros para alquilar el apartamento. Pero como estaba casada con Adrian, ¿lo que era suyo no era también de él? Además, el apoyo financiero que Adrian les había dado a los Watson durante todos esos años ascendía a una suma significativa. Joelle siempre había despreciado la idea de deberle algo, pero su deuda con él era infinita. Si se divorciaban, tal vez dejaría de darle apoyo financiero a la familia Watson. ¿Estaba sugiriendo que ella debía salir del matrimonio con las manos vacías? Cuando Adrian se dio la vuelta para irse, Joelle dijo con una dignidad apenas intacta: "Tengo derecho legítimo a este matrimonio y a reclamar lo que supuestamente es mío. Pero no te preocupes, no pediré mucho, solo lo suficiente para ayudar al Grupo Watson a superar esta crisis". Adrian se quedó paralizado y su mirada se agudizó. Sus labios formaron una fina línea mientras apretaba la mandíbula. Eran claras señales de su creciente furia. Aunque Joelle ya se había preparado mentalmente, no podía soportar su intensidad. Cada segundo bajo su mirada severa la ponía más ansiosa. De repente, sonó el celular de Adrian, quien lo sacó de su bolsillo y estuvo a punto de alejarse. "¡Adrian!". Capítulo 3 Siempre mantendré la cabeza en alto La frustración de Adrian crepitaba como estática. "Si tu hermano necesita dinero, dile que vaya al Grupo Miller". "¡No se trata de eso!", replicó Joelle. La había malinterpretado por completo. Con el corazón latiendo con urgencia, corrió tras él. "¡Adrian, quiero el divorcio!". Adrian dejó de subir las escaleras y giró la cabeza. El celular en su mano había dejado de sonar. Con un metro noventa de altura, se alzaba sobre ella. "Joelle, ¿no se te ocurre un mejor juego que este interminable tira y afloja?", preguntó burlonamente con una mirada gélida. "Si de verdad quieres divorciarte, ¿por qué no se lo dices tú misma a la abuela? ¡No quiero volver a escucharte pronunciar esa palabra!". La puerta se cerró de golpe detrás de él, haciendo eco a su irrevocable decisión. Joelle se apoyó contra la pared y sus piernas cedieron hasta que se deslizó al suelo. Una risa amarga emergió de sus labios. Irene había organizado su matrimonio. Adrian se había visto obligado a aceptar, y Joelle lo sabía muy bien. Si de verdad quería el divorcio, lo más efectivo sería hablar con Irene. Sin embargo, una pequeña y estúpida parte de ella se había aferrado a la esperanza de que ella y Adrian eran una verdadera pareja. Por eso se lo había mencionado primero a él, porque lo veía como su esposo. Sin embargo, olvidó un detalle crucial: Adrian nunca había querido casarse con ella. Su reticencia había sido evidente desde el principio, aunque ella había intentado pasarla por alto. Sus últimas palabras no solo fueron despectivas, sino una orden. Si de verdad quería el divorcio, debería enfrentarse a Irene. Joelle se dio una ducha, se puso ropa limpia y se preparó para visitar a la anciana. Irene era estricta, autoritaria y temida por toda la familia. Gobernaba con puño de hierro y no toleraba la desobediencia. Pero Joelle tenía un vínculo muy especial con ella. En parte, había aceptado casarse con Adrian para cumplir las expectativas de Irene. Quería cuidar de Adrian, construir un hogar y asegurarse de que la anciana falleciera sin remordimientos. Pero ahora ya no aguantaba más. Ver a Adrian tan preocupado por otra mujer le llenaba de una amargura que parecía consumirla. Era consciente de que él no la amaba. ¡Nunca lo hizo y nunca lo haría! Estaba a punto de irse cuando sonó su celular. Era su hermano, Shawn Watson. "¿Shawn? ¿Qué ocurre?". "¡Señora Miller!". Era el asistente de Shawn. Su voz sonaba muy asustada, algo que Joelle nunca había escuchado. Se le heló la s*gre y agarró el celular con más fuerza mientras permanecía en la escalera. "¿Dónde está mi hermano? ¿Qué le pasó?". "Anoche el señor Watson asistió a una reunión de negocios, donde lo presionaron para que biera. Supuestamente volvería a casa, pero Erick Lloyd insistió en llevarlo a unas aguas termales". Joelle se quedó congelada y la furia recorrió sus venas. "¿Erick no sabía que eso podría matarlo?". "¡Erick es un svergüenza! Se jacta de su poder desde que su padre y su hermano se volvieron chóferes de la familia Miller. ¡Señora Miller, tiene que venir rápido! El señor Watson está siendo operado y los médicos han emitido dos avisos de condición crítica. ¡No pude aguantar más, así que la llamé!". El asistente parecía estar al borde de las lágrimas. Joelle sabía que él no se habría puesto en contacto con ella a menos que la situación fuera bastante desesperada. Shawn siempre la había protegido de las malas noticias, sin importar lo sombrías que fueran las circunstancias. Si su asistente estaba tan conmocionado, la vida de su hermano debía estar en peligro. Joelle sintió como si el mundo se cerrara a su alrededor y un nudo se formó en su garganta. Al bajar del último escalón, tropezó y se cayó con fuerza, torciéndose bruscamente el tobillo. El dolor abrasador la devolvió a la realidad y las lágrimas brotaron de sus ojos. "¡Oh, no, señora Miller, tenga más cuidado cuando camina!". Leah corrió a ayudarla a levantarse. Joelle agarró el brazo de Leah con la visión borrosa a causa de las lágrimas. Intentó hablar, pero las palabras le salían entrecortadas porque estaba sollozando. "Mi hermano... ¡Tengo que ir al hospital para verlo!". Leah sintió su urgencia y respondió sin dudar: "De acuerdo, no se preocupe. ¡Le pediré al conductor que la lleve de inmediato!". Leah era una criada experimentada y confiable que llevaba años al servicio de la familia Miller. Cinco minutos después, el auto ya estaba aparcado delante de la villa. Joelle estaba a punto de subir cuando se volvió hacia Leah. "Por favor, no se lo cuentes a Irene. No quiero preocuparla". El corazón de la criada se ablandó. Incluso con el rostro pálido y surcado de lágrimas, Joelle se preocupaba por la salud de Irene. ¡Qué muchacha tan rara y extraordinaria! "No se preocupe, señora Miller. Yo sé qué hacer. Vaya a ver a su hermano". Cuando Joelle llegó al hospital, Shawn acababa de salir del quirófano. Al ver a su jefe conectado a tubos y cables, el asistente casi se desplomó. Joelle se acercó y lo encontró arrodillado contra la pared, con los ojos hundidos e inyectados en sgre. Tuvo que contener el impulso de regañarlo por no haber protegido mejor a su hermano. Más tarde habría tiempo para eso. Cuando la condición de Shawn fue más estable, Joelle llevó al asistente a un lado. "Cuéntamelo todo. ¿Cómo ocurrió esto?". El asistente vaciló, con el rostro desencajado. "Señora Miller, el señor Watson nos ordenó específicamente que no la involucremos en los asuntos comerciales". "Pero esto es una cuestión de vida o muerte. ¿Piensas que todavía es una opción no decirme nada?". Ya sin paciencia, Joelle se dio la vuelta para alejarse. "Señora Miller, eso no sirve de nada", respondió el asistente desesperadamente. "Usted sabe que desde la muerte de su padre, el Grupo Watson ha dependido por completo de su hermano. Ha estado luchando para defender la dignidad de la familia, porque quiere que su vida con los Miller sea más llevadera". Durante esos años, Shawn había luchado valientemente para mantener a la familia a flote. No obstante, sin el apoyo financiero de Adrian, sus esfuerzos se habrían desvanecido hacía mucho tiempo. Su deseo más profundo era que su hermana viviera cómodamente, pero a pesar de sus incansables esfuerzos, nunca pudo hacerle ganar el respeto que merecía por parte de su esposo. No importaba lo mucho que se sacrificara, ella seguiría siendo infravalorada en la familia Miller. Joelle estaba hirviendo de rabia, pero sabía que no podía cambiar su realidad. Entonces, inspiró profundamente y preguntó: "¿No mencionaron mi relación con Adrian?" Esperaba que alinearse con los Miller pudiera ayudar a Shawn a mantenerse firme en sus actividades sociales. "El señor Watson se niega a tocar ese tema, pues teme que eso le haga las cosas más difíciles a usted". Joelle soltó una risa amarga. Jamás había estado en igualdad de condiciones con Adrian. No le extrañaba que la despreciara, ya que apenas podía soportarse a sí misma. Solo hacía una hora que le había pedido el divorcio. Y ahora se aferraba al nombre de su esposo, desesperada por facilitarle la vida a su hermano. "Dile a Shawn que soy la esposa de Adrian Miller, Irene me eligió personalmente. ¡Mientras sea la señora Miller, mantendré la cabeza en alto dentro de la familia!". De repente, escucharon unos pasos detrás de ella. Joelle se dio la vuelta y vio a Adrian, que tenía una sonrisa fría en su rostro. A su lado, se encontraba una muchacha de aspecto frágil, con grandes ojos inocentes, aferrada a él. Adrian la miraba desdeñosamente, como si incluso le costara reconocer su presencia. Ya se había dado cuenta de que ella realmente no quería el divorcio. La mujer que había parecido tan decidida a irse, ahora estaba haciendo alarde de su título como la señora Miller. Su amenaza de divorcio no había sido más que una estrategia, como una pelea de amantes que terminaba en amenazas vacías. Era tan astuta que lo había d*gado para obligarlo a casarse. Con tácticas tan engañosas, ¿cómo podría irse tan fácilmente? Su matrimonio eran un salvavidas para las dificultades de su familia. Adrian le daba cien millones cada año al Grupo Watson. Joelle sería una tonta si se arriesgaba a perderlo divorciándose de él. Capítulo 4 Por fin se dio cuenta Hacía mucho que Joelle se había vuelto insensible ante la indiferencia de Adrian. Observó sin decir nada los brazos entrelazados de la pareja y recordó los dulces momentos capturados en los videos de Rebecca, que provocaban la envidia de mucha gente. ¡Qué pareja tan perfecta! Ese pensamiento la golpeó. "¡Joelle, por favor, no nos malinterpretes!", dijo Rebecca con urgencia mientras retiraba su mano del brazo de Adrian. "No me siento bien y no puedo caminar, así que Adie simplemente tuvo la amabilidad de sostenerme". Joelle esbozó una leve sonrisa. "¿Qué te trae al hospital?", preguntó mirando a Adrian, como si no hubiera escuchado la explicación de Rebecca. "Es por Erick", dijo Rebecca, con las manos entrelazadas como una niña arrepentida. "También vine a pedirte perdón, Joelle. Lamento que Erick haya sido tan descuidado para provocar que tu hermano terminara en el hospital". "¿Descuidado?", replicó ella. "Tu hermano casi mta al mío, ¿y crees que una disculpa bastará para arreglarlo?". Rebecca se estremeció y agarró la manga de Adrian en busca de apoyo. "Ya es suficiente, Joelle", respondió él con una voz tan gélida como el invierno. "No fue a propósito". Luego, se volvió hacia Rebecca y agregó suavemente: "Vamos, ¿no viniste para ver a Erick?". Fue entonces cuando Joelle lo entendió todo. Había esperado ingenuamente que Adrian viniera para ver a Shawn. Pero no, había venido con Rebecca para ver a Erick. Incluso si visitara a Shawn, sería por obligación, nada más. Pero sabía que no debía esperar que él la defendiera. "¡Rebecca, no olvidaré lo que hizo Erick!", espetó. Rebecca dobló las piernas y se desplomó sobre el pecho de Adrian, quien la atrapó justo a tiempo y la abrazó con fuerza. "Joelle, Erick no tenía malas intenciones. ¡También está en el hospital!". "¿Ya está muerto? ¡Si no, tendrá que pagar por lo que hizo!". Joelle no solía arremeter, pero esta vez era diferente. Shawn era la única familia que le quedaba. Su padre, incapacitado por un derrame cerebral, se encontraba en estado vegetativo con poca o ninguna esperanza de recuperación, y su madre había fallecido en un accidente de tráfico. Desde los dieciocho años, habían sido solo ella y Shawn, enfrentándose juntos a las dificultades del mundo. En sus momentos más oscuros, Shawn llevó sola la carga para dejar que Joelle persiguiera su pasión por el violín. Ahora la idea de perderlo también a él era insoportable. Su único deseo era que Erick muriera. "Joelle, ¿cómo puedes decir eso?", sollozó Rebecca con incredulidad. Ya sin paciencia, Adrian fijó su fría mirada en Joelle. "¿Qué deseas?". "Shawn recibió dos avisos de condición crítica. ¿Qué hay de Erick?". Rebecca jadeó, su frágil cuerpo estaba temblando como una hoja en el viento. "¡Joelle, por favor! Solo me queda un hermano. ¡Por favor, ten compasión!". Se desmayó antes de que la otra mujer pudiera responder. Adrian la levantó en sus brazos y le dio una última mirada de reproche a Joelle. Luego, se alejó y la dejó clavada en el mismo lugar, incapaz de moverse o incluso de pensar, lo que pareció una eternidad. Antes de su matrimonio, había sido una chica adinerada, pero luego se convirtió en la sirvienta de Adrian. Ahora se daba cuenta de lo ingenua que había sido. Ella solía ser una persona muy orgullosa, pero ahora soporta todo tipo de agravios sólo para complacer a su marido. ¡Qué patético! Han pasado tres años, es hora de divorciarnos y comenzar una nueva vida... ...... ¿Qué sucederá en adelante? Los capítulos disponibles son limitados aquí, haga click el botón abajo para instalar APP y disfrutar leyendo más contenidos maravillosos. 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2,614,806	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2614801}'	No	2024-12-08 20:15	active	1977	Read more FREE chapters👉	This wasn’t the first time I received photos of Owen cheating on me. The blonde hair and slender build of the woman kissing him reminded me of my best friend Josie. Could it be…? No, she would never do that to me! With trembling fingers, I dropped my phone. How could my husband cheat on me?! I thought I was the most important person in his life. After 7 horrible years at the orphanage, I was adopted by Owen’s family. I saved Owen's life when we were young. His family was so grateful that they took me in. How could Owen betray me after everything we went through?! We grew up together and were always inseparable. We fell in love and got married when we were 22 years old. I can’t believe that was almost 3 years ago now. But Owen had been acting very strange lately. These photos seemed to explain why… I had to confront him. “Owen?” I called out. “Owen, where are you?” He didn't answer. He must be upstairs. I walked up the stairs and heard him talking to his friend Simon on the phone. As I was about to knock on the door, I overheard: “No, I don’t think I love her anymore.” His words gave me icy chills. “You should be happy, Simon. I know you like Noah. If we get a divorce, you can have her.” Owen continued. “He said...what?” I couldn’t believe my ears and cried in my heart, “How dare he talk about me like that? I wasn't just some object he could give away! ” Hearing Owen’s frivolous talk with his friend, I felt sick. I grew up with him and got married for so many years. But he recently acted like a stranger. Did he have a new love? Why did he treat me in such a cruel way?! I was almost to open the door to question him, but suddenly I hesitated, “Question him and then what? Do I want divorce? No, I don’t think so. Anyway, I have to calm down. At least I need to have a talk with him first. I need to know what happened to our marriage.” So, I quietly made my way back downstairs. I tried to forget about what I heard by preparing dinner. As I was dishing up our pasta, the delightful scent of italian herbs drifted through the house. I heard Owen come downstairs. “Just in time for your dinner, hun!” I said, trying to sound normal. But he was wearing his coat and gelled hair. He looked handsome as ever and ready to leave. I could smell his aftershave - my favorite smell in the world. “Where are you going? It’s getting late and dinner is ready.” I said. “Dinner with a client. Don’t wait for me.” Owen replied and left without hesitation. I sat alone at the table, looking at the food I’d carefully prepared for him. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. I listlessly turned the spaghetti round and round with my fork. I wasn’t hungry. After storing away the leftovers, I stared at the TV for a while. Nothing could get my mind off of Owen and whoever that blonde tramp was. I made my way to the bathroom. I washed my mascara stained face and looked at myself in the mirror. Why did he stop loving me? Am I not beautiful enough? Did I not do enough to make him happy? I gave my body a scrutinizing glance, suddenly seeing all the parts of me that weren’t perfect. My belly wasn’t as flat as it used to be. Maybe I should’ve had my lips done, like my friend Josie. Mine always used to be fuller than hers. But now she had the plump, luscious lips of a model. After washing up, I went to bed. Dropping my face into my pillow, I felt miserable. I tried to fall asleep, but my mind kept wandering. Where was Owen? And with who? Will he even come home tonight? At 1 am, I finally heard the key turn in the front door. From all the stumbling I could hear Owen was very drunk. I swiftly made my way downstairs to help him to the bedroom. He started kissing me and said a blurry name. I tried to identify what it was. After he repeated it many times, I was shocked. It sounded like... “Joise”! “Josie…? Were you with Josie?” I asked with panic in my voice. I helped his heavy body into bed. He grunted some words I couldn’t understand. I couldn’t believe my husband cheated on me with my best friend. I cried and pleaded with him to see that it was me, not Josie. He pushed me away. As his head hit the pillow, he started snoring right away. Looking at my husband - completely drunk - I didn’t recognize the man I knew and loved. I tried to sleep next to him. But it felt like I was lying next to a stranger. I went downstairs and sat on the sofa all night, wide eyed, thinking about what happened between us. The next morning, Owen came downstairs after a shower. I wanted to ask him how he was feeling. He must be hungover. When I got up from the couch, I felt very weak and feverish. The sleepless night must've made me sick. “Owen, are you OK?” I asked as I struggled to walk over to him. I really wanted to hug him. If only for a sense of comfort. He swept my arms away and told me to leave him alone. I was so weak and dizzy, his push made me fall. Owen was stunned for a moment. Then he said coldly, “If you’re sick, go see a doctor.” I scrambled up to my feet, and looked at him with a shocked expression. Suddenly, his phone rang. As he lifted it to his ear, the screen lit up. I could clearly see who was calling: “Josie”. Chapter 2 - Hope Noah My heart sank when Owen picked up the phone. The screen clearly said “Josie”. He answered: “Hello? Yes, of course, sir. I can take a look at those documents for you.” I couldn't believe Owen was lying to my face. He glanced at me, then quickly walked over to the kitchen. When he thought I couldn't hear him, his voice softened. He sounded so sweet. Although I couldn’t hear his words, the way he spoke to Josie reminded me of the beginning of our romance. Owen was still trying to hide his betrayal from me. He must have forgotten that he gave away his secret last night, when he called me Josie. Those pictures on my phone left no doubt. He was cheating on me, with my best friend. I leaned up against the wall. I felt weakened by my fever and this emotional rollercoaster. I stared at my husband as he came back inside the living room. He avoided my eyes. It felt as if he had become a stranger. In the past, he would’ve never let me suffer like this. “I’ll pick you up later.” Owen said, ready to go. I grabbed his hand and begged him to stay with me. “Please, don’t leave. I'm sick, Owen. I need to see a doctor. I’m too weak to be all by myself.” He was very impatient. He said he had some important business to deal with. I couldn’t help crying as I watched him leave. My husband and my best friend were betraying me, behind my back. I walked up the stairs slowly, carefully holding on to the railing. I was so weak and fragile. Bed rest was my best option right now. I really needed my husband to take care of me. When we got married, he vowed to me: “In sickness and in health, in good times and bad”. This was definitely a bad time, and he was nowhere to be seen. When I woke up from my nap, I felt even worse. In my feverish haze, I reached for my phone and tried to call Owen. I opened my recent contacts and found that Owen had not had any calls with me these days at all. I had to open the contact list to look for him, but a few minutes later I dialed out with a headache and dizziness. Almost immediately I heard: “Hello, Noah?” The voice on the phone sounded very deep. I figured Owen got a cold after his late night out. “I’m so sick, I’m so weak. I need to get to the hospital. Please, come back, please…” I pleaded, my voice weak and trembling. “I’ll be right there.” Said the voice on the phone and hung up right away. His voice sounded different from before. And his tone was a little urgent. What’s wrong? I didn’t have enough energy to think about it. At least he might still care about me. That comforted me a lot. Before long, there was a heavy knock on the door. Did Owen leave his key? I opened the door, expecting to look into Owen's gray eyes, but found Raymond's kind, hazel brown eyes instead. What was he doing here? Raymond was Owen’s uncle. He was only several years older, but very mature. He was tall, tanned and handsome. His chocolate brown hair matched his eyes. With his strong, square jaw and muscular body. I always thought Owen was one of the most attractive men I knew. It wasn't until Raymond’s appearance that I realized how dominant the handsome genes are in this family in terms of good looking. After living in Australia for most of his life, he had come back several years ago to take over his family’s business. By now, he was the most successful CEO in the city. Although all women admired him, he remained single. “Does Owen know you’re sick?” Raymond said, looking concerned. “How did you know I'm sick? Do I look that terrible?” I asked, suddenly aware that I was only wearing my little nightgown, had no make-up on and had my hair up in a messy bun. Raymond smiled. “Don't worry, Noah. I got your call earlier.” Oops, I must have pressed the number of “Owen’s Boss” instead of “Owen”. I apologized for the inconvenience. “You are a member of our family, Noah. It’s my duty to take care of you. And you are never an inconvenience to me.” Raymond said as he took me by the arm to support me. He led me to his streamlined, dark gray Mercedes to drive me to the hospital. I sat down on the cream colored leather seat. His car smelled brand new. The seat was heated, which helped warm me up, but I was still shivering. Raymond took off his suede blazer and handed it to me. His simple act of kindness made me feel warm, inside and out. “Thank you, Raymond. This means a lot to me.” I said with a relieved sigh. “Of course, Noah. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there.” He responded. He still had a slight Australian accent. He asked me what happened. I wouldn’t have shared my family’s private problems with another man who I didn’t even know very well. But at that time, I was on the very edge of a breakdown. I really needed someone to talk to. Yet when I lost two of my closest persons on the same day, my husband and my best friend, who else could I talk to? “I don’t think Owen loves me as much as before. It seems that he has some secrets with another woman, who used to be my best girlfriend. I couldn't sleep all night. I think that's what caused my fever.” I concluded. I was in tears again by the time I finished the story. “How could they do this to you? You are the best thing that's ever happened to Owen. If he can't see that, he is an even bigger idiot than I thought!” Raymond shouted out. His shocked, angry expression showed me how much he cared. “Please, don't say a word about this to Owen. I haven't confronted him yet. I need to do this myself.” I responded. We sat quietly for a while, his hand resting very close to my thigh. I felt so weak and miserable. But his presence helped. When seeing the private doctor, I tried to get out of the car but almost fell. Raymond flung an arm around me, just in time to catch me. I blushed as I looked up to him. My face was very close to his. His piercing eyes looked at me with an intensity I hadn’t seen before. I smelled something fresh. It might be his aftershave. I remembered Owen also used it, and I always told he that I love what he smelled. But I found Raymond’s aftershave smelled a little special. “Raymond? Noah? What are you doing?!” I suddenly heard Owen’s angry voice. Chapter 3 - Truth Noah Raymond quickly let go of me as Owen approached us. Just before taking a step back. I stumbled over to my husband. I wanted to lean on him for support, but he didn’t seem to care about me at all. All I could read on his face was anger. I tried to be strong and stand by myself, shivering with fever. “So, you’ve got a new love, huh? I saw you flirting with my uncle!” Owen spat his angry words at me. I turned pale. How could he say this to me? Especially after what he had done? I wasn’t the one who couldn’t be trusted! “Owen! How dare you talk to her like that! It’s not our family’s manner!” Raymond berated him. He was fuming with rage at the injustice. He also knew about Owen's betrayal. Owen was a little timid when Raymond got angry. Although Raymond was only 31 years old, he had become a successful CEO. He had idolized Raymond when he was a child. And now, Raymond was also his boss. Owen had recently started working at his company. Raymond’s fists were clenched and his tense muscles were visible through his buttoned up shirt. He looked like he was about to hit Owen. I didn’t want them to fight over me, so I tried to calm them both down. “Raymond, it’s okay. Owen will take me in to see a doctor. Thank you for driving me here.” I said gratefully. ‘Please, don’t say anything about Josie’, I tried to tell him mentally through the look in my eyes. He nodded slightly, as if he understood. He relaxed and his eyes softened when he looked at me. I turned back to my angry husband. I couldn’t detect any sign of trust in his eyes. I supposed he should be concerned about my health rather than the relationship between me and Raymond. “Owen, I can explain. I tried to call you, but I was so sick I accidentally dialed Raymond’s number. He brought me to see the doctor. You should be grateful to him. Without him I would still be miserable in bed, all alone.” Owen grabbed me and said, “Well, I was just on my way to come and get you. Then I saw you get out of uncle Raymond's car and ‘fall’ right into his arms.” He looked at Raymond with an arrogant smirk. “You can go back to your important job now, uncle. I’ll look after my wife.” Raymond’s eyes were cold, but he respected my wishes. He didn't object. After warning Owen that he’d better take good care of me, he got back in his car and drove off. Although I was glad I could lean on Owen, something didn't feel right. I realized I was still wearing his suede jacket. It was so soft and warm, protecting me from the cold autumn wind. When the doctor dealt with my fever, Owen didn’t want to speak to me, let alone look at me. He was engaging himself in typing on his phone. The doctor told me I shouldn't have waited much longer. My fever was so high I could have fainted. After getting examined and taking medicine for my fever, Owen drove me home. We sat next to each other in our car that held many memories. All our road trips and getaways together. Those times were over now. After an uncomfortable silence, I decided to address the elephant in the room. “Owen… What is going on? Do you still love me? Do you still regard me as your wife?” I asked. “So what? Whose wife do you want to be?” Owen hissed. I couldn't believe how horrible he was to me after what he had done. “I know you cheated on me, Owen.” I uttered with pain in my voice. “You’ve been seeing Josie, right?” Owen stopped the car with a jerk and pulled over. We sat in silence for a while as he processed my words. “What do you know, Noah?” he pressed, looking me in the eyes at last. I finally confronted him about all the things that had been weighing heavily on my heart. I explained: “Someone sent me photos of the two of you together. The first time, they didn't show your face. So I didn’t want to believe it. But in the ones I received yesterday, it was clearly you. All those nights, when you told me you had to leave town for business... You lied to me. You spent them at a hotel with another woman! Then, last night, you kissed me and called me Josie. And this morning, I saw it was her calling you. You pretended it was a client. “Owen, we have grown up together since we were kids. I always thought we knew each other the most and could trust each other. I can’t believe you would cheat me like that!” I cried, “Owen, did you fall in love with another woman... Is she my best friend Josie?!” His eyes showed a moment of doubt. Then, resolution. His mouth tightened as he clenched his jaw. Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, Owen said: “It’s true. I love her. I love Josie.” Chapter 4 - Hurt Noah I just couldn't accept it. I loved him so much. How could he cheat on me? “Why, Owen? I thought we loved each other. I thought we would be together forever. Did I do something wrong?” I cried. Owen didn't respond. He drove us home in silence. His cruelty was too much for me to bear. I stared at the raindrops on the window. I felt more depressed than ever. That afternoon, Owen left again. I tried having some food and a nap, hoping that would help me heal. But I just couldn't fall asleep until Owen came back home in the early evening. I had to talk to him. I got out of bed and met him at the top of the stairs. “Owen, we need to talk about what happened. You can't keep going out and avoiding me.” He was obviously drunk again. All he said was, “I don’t have anything to say to you. I am moving out, Noah. I supposed our years of marriage is a mistake!” I took his hands in mine and begged him to stay and try to work it out. But he shook off my hands and pushed me away. I was standing right on the edge of the staircase. His push made me lose balance, and I tumbled down the stairs. I managed to grab onto the railing so I didn’t fall all the way down. But my head hit the wall when I tried to break my fall. I felt my forehead was bleeding. It was so painful that I couldn’t get up. I thought Owen would help me, but only heard: “You lost your footing. It’s not my fault.” There was a sudden knock on the door. Owen stumbled past me down the stairs. “Raymond? What are you doing here? Now is not a good time.” “I came to ask you what is going on. You need to give me an explanation. You haven’t … Noah?” Raymond suddenly saw me sitting on the stairs behind Owen. He pushed Owen aside and ran over to me in alarm. Seeing my messy hair and injured forehead, he instantly knew what happened between us. He punched Owen in the face. “This is how you treat your wife?! I don’t believe you. Don’t you see Noah is bleeding? Did you hurt her? What a disgusting thing you smelled! You drunk idiot!” Raymond raged at his nephew. I didn’t even have time to explain. Raymond immediately wrapped me up in his suit jacket and took me to see the doctor. “Twice in one day? That must be a record.” The doctor said wearily. I gave her a wry grin and answered, “Not by choice…” The doctor took care of my wounds. I needed a couple of stitches and had some pretty bad bruises, but I would be okay. Thankfully, I didn't break any bones. It was getting dark outside. The autumn breeze was busy blowing the leaves off the maple trees surrounding the hospital parking lot. Raymond and I made our way back to the car. Our feet rustled through the thick carpet of yellow, brown and scarlet red leaves. After my second - and hopefully last - doctor's visit of the day, we sat next to each other in silence. We were back in his beautiful Mercedes. I could get used to these comfortable, heated seats. I felt a bit embarrassed. Raymond kept on having to save me. At least this time, I was wearing clothes and make-up, and my brown hair was neatly tied in a long, wavy ponytail. “I don’t normally need so much help, you know.” I broke the ice. “I happen to be a strong, independent woman most of the time.” Raymond laughed heartily. “Jokes aside, I'm really grateful for everything you've done for me.” I continued. “Why did you come over tonight, Raymond?” “Owen hadn’t come to work at the company for days. And I wanted to speak to him about what happened this morning, with you. I tried to call him, but he never answered. I decided to come over. To see for myself what was wrong with him.” Raymond explained. “I just can’t believe what he did to you!” He continued. “If he ever does anything like that again, please tell me. I’ll teach him a lesson.” His stern face showed how much he meant it. I took a deep breath. He had a way of making me feel safe and secure. “Thank you, Raymond. I’m okay now. It was an accident. Owen didn’t push me off the stairs on purpose. He didn’t mean to hurt me.” I explained. Raymond looked a little angry, but he still carefully drove me home. “Goodbye, Raymond. Thank you again, for everything.” I said with feeling as he hugged me. “Bye, Noah. It’s been my pleasure. Please be safe. Call me if you need anything.” He said. He gently patted me on my head as comfort as if I was a little girl and got back in his car. His simple actions made me feel warm. I thanked him and walked home. I entered the house. It was quiet and dark downstairs. I walked up to our room. When I opened our bedroom door, all I could see was Owen and Josie kissing on the bed. Chapter 5 - The Necklace Noah I couldn’t believe my eyes! While the hours I was leaving, my husband was screwing with my best friend in my room! Didn’t he remember I got hurt because of him?! How ridiculous! Even though I had seen Owen and Josie’s betrayal before in photos, witnessing it in real life was way worse. It felt like a million knives stabbed me in the chest. My heart shattered. “How dare you cheat on me in our home! In our own bed, for God’s sake!” I cried out. They hadn’t heard me open the bedroom door over the romantic music that was playing. They turned around with shocked looks on their faces. If I wasn’t so devastated, it might’ve been funny. Owen's mouth had lipstick smears all over it, and Josie’s blonde hair was disheveled. They were both in their underwear. Clothes were spread out all over our bedroom floor. I tried to hold back my tears. I didn't want to show them my pain. My crying might come across as weakness. I demanded an explanation. “I don’t believe this. Owen! Did you forget I am your wife?! Josie, why did you betray me too?! I treat you as my best friend. How dare you take my husband away from me!” I insisted. Josie hid away in Owen’s arms. Owen comforted her gently, then snapped at me: “You’ve already seen us together anyway, haven't you, Noah?” “I am done with you.” He continued. “Our whole relationship was based on a lie. Josie should’ve been with me all along!” I didn’t understand. “What are you talking about, Owen?” He held up a delicate golden necklace with a tear shaped ruby that had been resting on Josie’s collarbone. “Remember this, Noah? The truth has finally come out. It was Josie who saved my life all those years ago, not you. You pretended that it was you in front of my parents. You’ve made her suffer long enough!” I was shocked. Why did Josie have my necklace? I couldn't believe her betrayal. I tried to explain to Owen that I lost that necklace before I was adopted by his family. I told him I would never lie to him. Especially about something so important. But Owen didn’t believe me. “Josie,” I cried. “How could you do this to me? Why would you steal my necklace? You know how much it means to me! We’ve been best friends since the orphanage, haven’t we? Does that mean nothing to you?” “Noah, you know this necklace has always belonged to me. I was the one who saved Owen. But you stole my life to be adopted,”Josie played innocent with me, “I should have been the one who grew up with Owen! I see you as my sister, so I never attempted to reveal your lie until Owen found this necklace in my old jewelry box several months ago.” This convinced Owen even more that I had been bullying her. He wrapped his arms around her. Over his shoulder, when he couldn’t see, Josie gave me a quick, mean smirk. I knew Josie had a mean side. She always had, even when we were kids. But so far, she had only taken it out on her boyfriends and whoever got on her bad side, not on me. I never thought she might treat me in such a mean way! I had searched everywhere but couldn't find my necklace. It turned out that she was the thief who was always around me. How could she tell such outrageous lies as if it were natural？ I left the bedroom, rushed downstairs and broke down on the couch. Oh, what a nightmare! How could I make Owen see the truth? A little later, Owen and Josie came downstairs, all dressed up again. Josie was wearing her Prada pumps and the sleek, mint green dress I gifted her for her birthday. It accentuated her long legs and slender silhouette. I had to admit, she looked beautiful. I used to dress in a simple way such as simple jeans, white blouse and sneakers. Maybe I looked less attractive compared to Josie. Owen had an arm around Josie’s waist and warned me, “You’d better stay out of our life from now on. I’ll move to another villa with Josie.” I couldn't believe it. After 3 years of marriage, he trusted her story over mine. And now he wanted nothing to do with me. We used to be happily married. Our whole lives, ever since I saved him, we had been so close. We used to laugh together, cry together, play pranks on each other… But now, everything changed, simply because of a necklace. In fact, “necklace” is just an excuse for his betrayal. I didn’t believe our years of affection couldn’t prove my heart. “Noah, my life was ruined by you. You owe me that.” Josie said. “One day you’ll both regret this. I didn’t do anything wrong.” I sobbed. As they walked out, I faintly heard Owen reply: “It’s my fault. I should have found you earlier, or you wouldn’t have suffered so much.” I could only guess at his last insult as the door closed behind them. I zoned out in front of the TV and poured myself some of Owen’s whisky. The past couple of days had been the worst of my life ever since I lost my parents. My body and mind had been through so much. I felt numb. I must have fallen asleep on the couch. The sudden loud jingle of my phone ringing woke me up. The bright midmorning sun was shining in through the large windows. Looks like I slept in late. Disoriented, I picked up my phone and saw it was Owen calling. I accepted the call and brought the phone to my ear. Before I could say a word, I heard Owen’s angry shouting: “How dare you do this to Josie! Those guys you hired? You must pay for what you have done!” Chapter 6 - Choice Noah “What?! What guys? I just woke up, Owen. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I replied to the angry voice on the phone. “More lies! I can’t believe you, Noah. You're despicable!” Owen shouted. He was so loud, I had to move the phone away from my ear. “Owen, please calm down. All I remember is you leaving with Josie last night. I fell asleep on the couch. What happened?” “Josie is in the hospital because of you. I demand that you come here right now and apologize to her!” He ended the call before I could reply. What was this about? Would my life ever go back to normal? I decided to find out what was going on. My fever was over. Although my head still hurt, the wound was healing rapidly. I took a refreshing shower and got into a pencil skirt and light blue blouse. I combed my hair and decided to wear it in natural loose waves today. After a quick breakfast, I slipped into my high heels and coat, and made my way to my car. It was a crisp sunny day. I arrived at the hospital. At least it wasn't me who needed to see the doctor this time. “Oh, it’s our ‘old friend’.” The nurse said jokingly. I smiled as she directed me to Josie’s room. As soon as I knocked on the door, Owen opened it with an enraged look on his face. “Finally! That took you long enough.” He whispered angrily. “Josie is sleeping.” He came out and gently closed the door behind him. We walked towards the chairs in the hallway. “I have no idea what happened, Owen.” I said honestly. “Can you please tell me what is going on? Some guys attacked her?” “Are you still pretending you weren't behind this? You are unbelievable.” He shook his head, then continued. “Josie was attacked by some hooligans this morning, on her way to work. She shouted out and fainted from fear. Thankfully, a police officer was nearby. He heard her scream. She has a heavy concussion from the fall. She'll have to stay here a few days to recover.” “What? That's horrible!” I replied in shock. Although I was angry with Josie, I wouldn't wish this on anyone. “Stop your act now, Noah. Those guys were arrested. They told the police someone paid them to kidnap Josie, because she broke up a marriage.” No wonder he doubted me. But I couldn’t believe the trust between us was so fragile. “Would you believe me if I swore to you it wasn't me?” I asked with a last glimmer of hope. His reply made it clear to me that there was no hope left for us: “Never again will I believe a single word you say, Noah.” I refused to apologize. I didn't have anything to do with this. If anyone needed to stand out and make an apology, it was them for what they had done to me！ On my way out, I contacted a friend who had lots of connections all over the city. I asked her to investigate the situation. I also called the office on my way home, to let them know I was still recovering from my fever and head wound. My boss was understanding. She told me to take as long as I needed. In the evening, Owen came home just as I was about to have dinner. “I didn’t prepare your dinner. I guess you would have dinner with Josie?” I said plainly. I didn’t know why he came back at this time, but I didn’t care about it anymore. He ignored my words and said, “You still don’t want to apologize, right? You have two choices, Noah. Apologize and make amends with Josie, or divorce me and get out of this house!” “Josie is the one who betrayed us both. She lied to you, Owen. She stole my necklace. She is the one who should apologize!” I argued. Owen burst out in rage and slapped me in the face. I stared at him in disbelief. I was totally disappointed. Over the past few days he had hit me, pushed me, cheated on me. He had hurt me in every way. I made up my mind. “I choose divorce.” I said coldly. “Good. My lawyer will contact you in the next morning,”Owen said ruthlessly with a wicked smile, “Oh, I’ve prepared another ‘surprise’ for you. Hope you will enjoy it!”	LEARN_MORE	https://redtgb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=14837&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	323	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	redtgb.com	DCO		https://redtgb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=14837&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/t39.35426-6/463746090_1935842656910759_3812755172762740403_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ryOfRdHbuyoQ7kNvgHJEqOp&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AvQr_DxzHCqK8xE5-YKogiQ&oh=00_AYCJ5Ld4nIDlo8FK8q4SsiWmBZ4vRcbx6Z6Mf5oDlqcwDg&oe=675C2208	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,611,533	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2611527}'	Yes	2024-12-08 19:06	active	1974	WIN a free print!	I am giving away a FREE 8in x 8in Limited Edition Print to one lucky winner! Enter by Dec 15 for your chance to WIN! 👇🏻	LEARN_MORE	https://mailchi.mp/claguefineart/printgiveaway	Adam Clague Fine Art	https://www.facebook.com/claguefineart/	23,781	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	ClagueFineArt.com	DCO	{{product.description}}	https://mailchi.mp/claguefineart/printgiveaway	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469781675_1517725675611550_7735287291190616035_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Nv_SzDAAZtIQ7kNvgEEJEL-&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AuoMqYwnqfp2YW-W9fHrzsi&oh=00_AYDc_4BMcseUfOwPD-M9DZ6AMTfqIHjENyrCGkimIcKmvg&oe=675C09AF	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Adam Clague Fine Art	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

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