Confucius Ads Library: Ads

Ads for Sweeps on 2025-02-26

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
2,724,744	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2724745}'	No	2025-03-02 01:30	active	2671	The Sofia Bag	Silvia Tcherassi	SHOP_NOW	https://silviatcherassi.com/collections/sofia-bag?	Silvia Tcherassi	https://www.facebook.com/SilviaTcherassi/	105,956	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	silviatcherassi.com	CAROUSEL	Silvia Tcherassi	https://silviatcherassi.com/collections/sofia-bag?utm_source=social&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SOFIA+BAG	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481072513_1182540400197387_3610363513556529100_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=FXniYSyXikgQ7kNvgF2FzXC&_nc_oc=AdhHCD1ranf5U9aq2IS85Zq_le5CPxDwxsuXbu7PBT6VLpn_-vt9aHxjaYxbwq1wnbSi22P7UjQ-iMedIxKnzmn5&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A_l5Z_qyEAhHjlL9AK_E9K-&oh=00_AYA5hEukMjQpdlkpB5j86Zip5T0hTNdqHSfIrZyKdTaQEg&oe=67C9E394	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Silvia Tcherassi	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,726,517	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2025-03-02 02:06	active	2673	Read next chapter👉	He divorced her because of cheating. She left a message: "You will regret it." 4 years later, he saw her on TV and introduced her as a top 100 female CEO, but she shone and attracted everyone's attention. He was frustrated and begged to win her back! ===== In the bustling, weathered heart of Orkset, flames erupted violently within an ancient apartment building. Propelled by gusts of wind, the fire devoured the structure, belching dense smoke and bright, searing tongues of flame. "Saved! They've been saved." The words echoed amidst the chaos. Firefighters emerged from the smoldering inferno, carrying Carrie Campbell to safety at the roadside. Her features, usually refined and expressive, were now smeared with soot; her sparkling eyes dimmed to a vacant gaze, hollow and lost. As reality seeped back into her consciousness, Carrie felt a rush of gratitude overpower her usual composure. Her voice, hoarse and weak, conveyed a profound "thank you" to her rescuers. Shaking, she fumbled for her phone, her fingertips quivering as they found the familiar number. "Hello, the person you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again later..." The automated message played after a few rings, leaving her with a lump in her throat, her unvoiced frustrations and sorrow welling up inside her. Bang! With a deafening roar, the explosion abruptly silenced the cold, mechanical voice echoing through the line. Carrie's head snapped upwards, shock painted on her face as she witnessed the apartment she had just exited erupt into flames. Chunks of debris were hurled into the air by the force of the blast, scattering across the sky. Panic engulfed the crowd as survivors, freshly rescued, screamed in terror. They huddled together, seeking solace in each other's arms, their cries piercing the tumultuous scene. In stark contrast, Carrie lay alone on a stretcher, her isolation magnified amidst the chaos. "Kristopher..." Fighting the dread creeping up her spine, Carrie pressed her lips together tightly and dialed her husband's number again, her resolve unwavering. Yet, the call disconnected after a few short rings, leaving her with a haunting silence. Just then, a Twitter notification flickered on her phone screen. The gossip feed was alive with the latest gossip: #LiseNash #MysteriouBoyfriend. According to the tweet, a producer from a well-known variety show had invited the renowned star Lise Nash to a dinner, which had quickly soured when she declined to partake in a toast. This act of defiance had sparked a confrontation, only to be interrupted by Lise's domineering boyfriend. He stormed into the private dining room, dismissing the producer with a dismissive wave and escorting Lise away. The tweet described the scene vividly, painting a picture of a powerful man defending his beloved partner. Yet, perhaps due to his prominence, only the back of the man was visible in the accompanying photos, preserving his anonymity. Meanwhile, Lise, donning an oversized suit jacket, beamed a smile, reaching out to clasp his hand as they departed together. Carrie's eyes were glued to the screen, her stare intense and unblinking as she absorbed the image before her. There he was--Kristopher Norris! The suit jacket draped carelessly over Lise was a dead giveaway. Every piece of clothing Kristopher owned had been meticulously tailored by a master craftsman abroad, a detail Carrie knew all too well. Her grip on her phone tightened, her knuckles blanching to a stark white, as if her very soul were being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain sharp and acid-like in its intensity. In her most desperate moment, Kristopher had coldly disconnected their call, choosing instead to be at Lise's side. What was the worth of their two-year marriage? The tears she had been holding back now overwhelmed her, streaming down her face. Even as she tilted her head back in a futile attempt to stem the flow, the tears continued to escape. Lise had always been Kristopher's first love, a fact whispered and gossiped about among their circles. The Norris family had never approved of Lise, seeing her ordinary background as unfitting. Forced apart by family pressures, it had been Lise who ended things, but the past, it seemed, was not easily left behind. Kristopher had diligently pursued the leadership of the Norris family, harboring dreams of finally being with Lise. Yet, when he reached his goal, he discovered that Lise had already chosen another. In defiance of his family's expectations and perhaps out of bitterness, Kristopher turned to Carrie, a woman equally devoid of wealth or status, to become Mrs. Norris, thereby blocking any matchmaking attempts by his relatives. At that time, Carrie faced immense pressure from her father, Tristan Campbell, who was pushing her towards a marriage with a playboy, the son of a business associate, to cover her grandmother's steep medical expenses. Both Kristopher and Carrie, driven by their personal motives, consented to a marriage of convenience. Originally set for just one year, their contractual marriage stretched beyond its term, sustained by a shared understanding between them. Over time, Carrie began to believe in the authenticity of their union, never suspecting that it was merely an extension of her hopes. Just moments ago, a fire had nearly claimed Carrie's life. In that critical moment, she reached out to Kristopher, only to be twice rebuffed as he spent his time with Lise. This harsh reality shattered Carrie's illusions, revealing that her perceived transition from pretense to genuine relationship was nothing but a facade maintained by her own desires. Carrie wasn't even a temporary substitute in Kristopher's life but merely a pawn used to spite his family. After a poignant pause, tears welled up in Carrie's eyes, unstoppable and poignant. It might be time for her to release herself from the shackles of her own hopeful delusions--to stop deceiving herself. Chapter 2 Trending Topics The overwhelming number of injuries from the fire was staggering, straining the already frantic doctors and nurses as they tried to provide aid. Carrie had been merely grazed by a splintered clothes rack, which left a deep, jagged wound on her calf. In comparison to the chaos around her, her wounds seemed almost negligible. She managed to get basic care--a brisk cleaning and a quick wrap of bandages--at a local hospital before catching a cab back to her house. Bayview Villa, a grand property under Kristopher's name, was technically their matrimonial residence. Living alone had become the norm for Carrie, as Kristopher was hardly ever around. She had bid farewell to the housekeeper, discovering that her life could be quite adequately maintained with just takeout, deliveries, and the occasional visit from a part-time cleaner. Now, she found herself the sole occupant of the sprawling living room, sinking into the sofa, her gaze drifting across the empty space. The stark, monochrome decor did nothing to imbue warmth into the atmosphere. A chilling realization crept up on her: this vast, elegant space felt more like a colossal tomb, a silent grave for her lost years of youth and a love that had quietly slipped away. In this cold, echoing house, would anyone even notice if her breath ceased one day? Carrie exhaled a weary sigh, her frame heavy as she leaned against the cold wall for support, struggling up the stairs to her bedroom on the second floor. Each step was a battle, sending stabbing pains shooting through her from the surface of her skin down to her aching bones. The house, stark and hollow, echoed even the smallest sounds, magnifying her sense of isolation. It was today, amidst this profound silence, that Carrie truly grasped the all-encompassing nature of her loneliness--it was almost tangible, enveloping her senses with its texture and mournful whispers, tightening around her heart like a vice, producing a dull, relentless ache. Upon reaching the sanctuary of her bedroom, she collapsed onto the bed, the very embodiment of exhaustion, feeling it both physically and spiritually. Just as she surrendered to this weariness, the sharp ring of the phone pierced the silence. "You reached out to me earlier. What do you need?" Kristopher's voice cut through the line, cold and distant as ever. Carrie was caught off guard by his unexpected call. Words failed her as she parted her lips to respond, but before she could collect her thoughts, a soft, feminine voice floated through from the other end. "Kristopher, will you join me to..." A surge of emotions tightened Carrie's grip on the phone, her heart thumping louder with each second. Overwhelmed and unable to contain her rising panic, she demanded, "Who's there with you?" Kristopher gave no answer, merely stating in a flat, disinterested voice, "If there's something you need, let's catch up when I'm back. I have pressing engagements right now, so I must disconnect." He promptly ended the call, cutting off any chance for Carrie to reply. As the harsh beep of the disconnected line filled her ears, Carrie's lips twisted into a rueful grin. How utterly foolish she felt! Deep down, she knew his response all too well, yet she had clung to the hope of hearing his voice confirm it. With a sense of self-inflicted irony, Carrie activated her tablet and scrolled through the day's hot topics. One headline caught her eye: "A female star shielded from harassment at a dinner by her formidable partner." A wry smile twisted her lips. Carrie knew all too well what it was like to face harassment at those kinds of dinners. She vividly remembered her first major audition after her entering the showbiz; her agent had escorted her to a dinner with the influential director and producer of the drama series "Serene Sighs." As a novice in the dizzying world of showbiz, Carrie had felt incredibly vulnerable, uncertain of how to navigate the murky waters of such gatherings. The producer had eyed her shamelessly, sneering as he asked, "Is this the new talent you're introducing? She appears presentable, but I'm curious to see how she fares with a drink. Here's the deal, if you can gulp down this bottle in one go, I'll secure you an audition for the lead role." Carrie was inclined to decline, but under the relentless pressure from her agent, she found herself compelled to consume the entire bottle. As the evening wore on, she was hurriedly taken to the hospital suffering from a severe stomach ailment. Her agent, fretful about the prospect of the role slipping away to another, quickly settled the hospital charges and departed. At that time, Carrie found herself isolated in a hospital bed for several long days. Yet, even before Carrie could be released from the hospital, the media was abuzz with the announcement that Lise had secured the lead role in "Serene Sighs." Subsequently, her agent rebuked Carrie for her lack of ambition, complaining, "You are more appealing than Lise, so why can't you show more drive? She cozied up to Mr. Norris and hardly had to make an effort. She's surrounded by people eager to cater to her every need. I've heard that Mr. Norris personally orchestrated her landing the lead role in this production!" When the show premiered, Lise was catapulted into stardom, swiftly ascending to the elite echelons of the acting world. From that moment forward, Carrie let her acting aspirations wane and chose instead to devote herself entirely to supporting her husband, Kristopher. After all, no matter her efforts, she could never get the same career opportunities that Lise seemed to receive effortlessly with Kristopher's offhand remarks. At that time, Carrie had believed she was filling the role that was meant to be Lise's as Mrs. Norris, which meant she owed Lise. By giving up the career opportunities to Lise, Carrie thought they would settle their unspoken debt. However, Carrie hadn't foreseen that Lise would claim both the coveted career and Kristopher's affections. As Lise's professional and love life blossomed, Carrie came to the painful realization that she had been overly consumed with her romantic pursuits, at the expense of her career, and now, she found herself bereft of both love and professional fulfillment. With tears streaming down her face, Carrie viewed her past two years as tragically misguided. Given another opportunity, she resolved she wouldn't be so unguarded, letting her heart recklessly fall captive to Kristopher's charm. "Ms. Spencer, the new copyright contract is prepared. Please review it for any discrepancies." Her phone buzzed with the alert, snapping Carrie out of her reverie. She gazed at the PDF file attached in the message, her mind briefly overwhelmed. Under the pseudonym Katrina Spencer, Carrie had once made a name for herself as a budding screenwriter, selling numerous scripts in her early days. During her early career as Katrina, Carrie often sold her work for a pittance, compelled by her urgent need for immediate cash. Over the years, these scripts transformed into blockbuster films and hit series, catapulting Katrina's reputation to new heights. By this time, Carrie had married Kristopher and was no longer plagued by the financial woes that had once driven her to desperation--her grandmother's hefty medical bills were a thing of the past. With her financial crises resolved, Carrie's life had pivoted to domestic responsibilities, striving to be an exemplary wife to Kristopher. Amidst these changes, her pseudonym, Katrina Spencer, gradually receded into the background. However, her past as Katrina wasn't ready to be shelved just yet. Recently, an interested buyer had come forward, ready to pay a handsome sum for one of her old scripts. Carrie, however, was hesitant to sell. She raised several concerns about the contract presented to her, and to her astonishment, the buyer was genuine enough to revise it accordingly. Holding the revised contract in her hands, Carrie inhaled deeply, her resolve hardening. She seemed to have reached a crucial decision. Her fingers danced over her phone's keyboard with swift precision, typing out a firm command. "Create a divorce agreement following my terms and ensure it reaches Kristopher Norris at the Norris Group." Without pausing for a response, she placed her phone aside and limped toward the bathroom, each step echoing a blend of determination and newfound independence. Chapter 3 Exchange Of Conveniences Thirty minutes had passed, Carrie finally heaved herself up from the bathtub, her limbs feeling heavy and uncooperative. As she lifted her gaze, her own image in the mirror halted her movements--her skin appeared as smooth and impeccable as fine porcelain, glowing with an unblemished radiance. Her eyes, deep pools of allure, sparkled with an enchanting, soft warmth, inviting anyone who dared meet her gaze. Despite edging into her late twenties at twenty-five, she reveled in the fact that time had yet to etch its marks upon her flawless complexion. Surely, a woman with such a visage had no place for self-pity. Absorbed in her contemplation, Carrie carelessly extended her right leg onto the cold floor, forgetting it was the very limb she had injured. Wrapped excessively in cling film to shield it from moisture, the tight encasement had stifled her circulation, rendering her leg eerily numb. As her foot touched down, it betrayed her, slipping forward unexpectedly. "Ah!" Carrie gasped, her arms flailing in a frantic ballet, searching for a lifeline in the void. Just as she teetered on the brink of a painful rendezvous with the floor, the bathroom door burst open. Kristopher stood at the entrance, his suit immaculately tailored, creating a striking figure. As their eyes locked, he paused, visibly taken aback, then quickly closed the distance with brisk strides. Carrie's breath caught as Kristopher swept her up in a graceful bridal style, an unexpected tightness wrapping around her waist. Caught off guard by his sudden appearance, Carrie realized with a jolt that she was completely bare. A flush of embarrassment washed over her as she instinctively clutched her hands over her chest. This was their first moment of such intimacy since their wedding, and the discomfort made her toes curl inward, her skin blushing a delicate shade of pink. Kristopher looked down at her with a mischievous grin. "Let's be honest, there's not much to see," he teased gently. Feeling both mortified and slightly irritated, Carrie snapped back, "Oh, Mr. Norris, after all you've seen, I suppose nothing can impress you anymore." She carried her C-cup curves with understated charm, a touch of sensuality that outshone Lise's painfully flat, almost awkwardly rigid build. Yet Carrie knew well that without love, even the most perfect physique paled in comparison to the charm of one dearly cherished. Nonchalantly, Kristopher reached for a bathrobe hanging behind the door and draped it over her. His frown deepened at her comment. "What are you talking about, Carrie?" A thought seemed to strike him, and his expression grew even more impatient. "Tell me, did you send those divorce papers in the dead of night just to lure me back here--to catch you completely bare?" His tone was a mix of disbelief and annoyance. "I told you I was swamped with work. Was this dramatic display really necessary?" Carrie's temper flared at his accusatory tone, reigniting the tension between them. He was always so quick to lose patience with her. She wasn't the type to throw around words like divorce or breakups lightly. In fact, this was the first time she'd ever mentioned divorce in their two-year marriage, yet he seemed indifferent to her turmoil. He simply dismissed her concerns as if she were overreacting about trivial matters. Despite the throbbing pain in her leg, Carrie mustered her strength and said, "Put me down." Kristopher, however, paid no heed, his eyes scanning her leg swathed in bandages. His brow furrowed slightly. "What happened to your leg? Is this some elaborate ploy to lure me back?" At his words, a bitter laugh escaped Carrie. It seemed he viewed her as merely seeking attention, and in failing to capture it, she had likely concocted a story to draw him back, allowing her to dramatize her plight in his presence. With a blank face, she replied untruthfully, "It's a beauty treatment that shouldn't get wet." "Why did you suddenly decide to undergo such a treatment?" Kristopher inquired, his tone casual as he carried her outside, not pressing the issue further. His frame was large, and through his thin shirt, she could distinctly feel the warmth of his body and the defined shape of his chest muscles. The closeness created an uncomfortable tension for Carrie, who had resolved to end things once and for all. Her voice climbed involuntarily, sharper this time. "Oh, since when have you been concerned with such minor things, Mr. Norris?" For the first time, Kristopher witnessed her using biting sarcasm; it struck him as peculiarly amusing. With a calm demeanor, he responded, "You're my wife, it's only natural I'd be concerned about your well-being." "Really?" There was a somber note in Carrie's voice now. "It seems like you've never really regarded me as your wife. I'm scared that if I were to die, you wouldn't even know until much later." After all, at that very moment, Kristopher had been distracted, lost in moments with his first love, too consumed to lend an ear to her desperate pleas. Caught off guard by her accusation, Kristopher's eyes widened with surprise before he let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Carrie, what's brought on this sudden outburst of anger? Just because I was tied up this afternoon and missed your call? Perhaps I've been too indulgent with you lately, and it's made you a bit too presumptuous?" Carrie froze, startled. Was he accusing her of being too presumptuous? She realized their marriage had always been lopsided. In his eyes, she was nothing more than a transactional partner, a woman who had bartered her freedom for financial security. Their union was meant to be a mere exchange of conveniences, yet she had, quite foolishly, fallen deeply in love with him. In the tricky terrain of romance, the one who fell first invariably found themselves at a distinct disadvantage. Kristopher's dismissive reaction left Carrie reeling, her emotions dismissed as trifles, a tight knot of suffocation rising in her chest. "I said to put me down this instant!" Carrie exclaimed, jerking her head to the side, her voice laced with a sharp edge of impatience. Kristopher remained mute, effortlessly carrying her towards the bed before suddenly releasing his hold. Carrie felt a jolt as the support vanished, her heart skipping a beat as she instinctively grasped for him. Their bodies collided on the bed, her bathrobe teetering on the brink of decency, threatening to unravel with any minor shift. Propped on one elbow, Kristopher gazed down at her, his lips curled into a sly, teasing grin. "You wanted to be let go, didn't you? So why cling to me now?" His eyes, deep and sparkling like a midnight lake speckled with stars, captivated her. In those celestial depths, Carrie caught a glimpse of her own reflection. At times like this, she was misled into believing he harbored a deep affection. Sadly, his heart was a fortress reserved for Lise, and all Carrie had left were empty fantasies. "Boring!" she exclaimed, her voice devoid of any enthusiasm as she attempted to rise, her hand inadvertently brushing against something unexpected. The following moment brought a noticeable shift in his cock pressing against her stomach. "Don't move, or I can't promise what might happen next," he warned in a deep, gravelly voice. With a frown, Carrie internally cursed upon hearing the statement. It was an undeniable fact. Primal instincts steered the actions of men. Absence of affection didn't quell their basic desires. Yet, she dared not agitate Kristopher. Angling her face away, her body remained rigid, frozen in place. Carrie, feeling irked, shot back. "Didn't you say there's nothing here to see? What's with the reaction now, Mr. Norris? Are you really that easy to impress?" No sooner had her words flown than she grasped the potential repercussions of her sharp tongue. A wave of regret surged through Carrie, but instead of anger, Kristopher responded with a chuckle, "You are my wife, after all. Since that's something I can't alter, I might as well embrace it. Besides, it's been years since we became husband and wife--it would be a shame to neglect you completely." Chapter 4 Are You Out Of Your Mind? Kristopher slipped his hand beneath the folds of her bathrobe, his touch tracing the curve of Carrie's skin, as smooth and delicate as silk. He encircled her slender waist, drawing her closer with a gentle yet firm grip. Her face, a captivating canvas of defiance and visible irritation, ignited in him an uncontrollable urge to claim victory over her resistance. His breathing grew heavy, yet he remained composed, slowly removing his tailored suit. The fabric of his suit brushed lightly against Carrie's cheek, releasing a mix of scents: a familiar woody aroma intertwined with an unexpected zesty twist of lemon. It was unmistakably Jo Malone's Blue Agava and Cacao--Lise's signature scent. A surge of nausea overwhelmed Carrie at the realization. As Kristopher's eyes, now shaded with a stormy intensity, drew nearer to hers, the proximity conjured unwelcome visions of him with Lise. Her stomach churned violently, and with a sudden movement, she pushed him away, propping herself up with a jolt and a dry retch. "Ugh..." Her stomach had been empty all day, leaving her with nothing to bring up. The desire in Kristopher's gaze flickered out, replaced by a cold, detached expression as he withdrew slightly. Observing the genuine distress and the reddening of Carrie's eyes, Kristopher perceived her reaction for outright disgust at their closeness. He paused, fingers adjusting his shirt cuffs, his voice cold as he confronted her. "Carrie, is this reaction reserved only for me, or is it how you respond to all men?" The air in the room turned frosty, thick with tension. Carrie swallowed the sharp sting in her throat, her eyes widening in shock as she stared up at him. Ever since their marriage, she had cut ties with nearly all her male friends, yet here was Kristopher, casually tossing out comments sharp enough to cut glass. The years of love she had poured into their relationship now seemed utterly futile. Heat crept up her neck, coloring her cheeks a bright scarlet as indignation took hold. Without thinking, her hand flew up and delivered a stinging slap across Kristopher's face. All her suppressed grievances from the day ignited in that swift motion. Her bathrobe, loosened in the heat of the moment, slipped from her shoulders. Ignoring the flush of exposure, she swiftly gathered the fabric and draped it around herself, her movements quick and firm. The impact of her slap had left a light, crimson mark on Kristopher's cheek, marking him with her outrage. His eyes, wide with disbelief, met hers. "Carrie, are you out of your mind?" Out of her mind? Yes, she was clearly insane to ever fall for him in the first place. Carrie fumed silently, her heart pounding in her chest. Suddenly, the sharp buzz of the phone on the table cut through the mounting tension, its vibration bringing a brief respite from their standoff. Kristopher cast a fleeting glance at the message, shut off the phone with a snap, and strode towards the door, his back rigid with tension. Her voice, firm and unwavering, chased after him. "We're getting a divorce! Make sure you sign those papers before you walk out that door!" Kristopher paused briefly and said sharply, "I have something to do now. When I return, do whatever pleases you." With that, he forcefully shut the door. Carrie's eyes followed his unwavering exit, feeling an oppressive weight compressing her chest once again. She disregarded the sharp sting in her leg and hobbled determinedly toward her tablet. Fingers trembling, she hastily navigated to Lise's Twitter page. Lise had just uploaded a new tweet. The photo showed her lying down with a fever patch adhered to her forehead, still enveloped in Kristopher's familiar jacket. The caption read, "Being sick makes me extra clingy. Wishing I had someone here. Stay cozy and take care, everyone!" The simultaneous timing of these two events made it almost impossible for Carrie not to suspect that Kristopher had dashed off to tend to Lise. Carrie's instincts loudly proclaimed that this was no accident; Lise had deliberately sought to tug at Kristopher's heartstrings. It appeared her tactics were effective. Not even Carrie's stark threat of divorce could overshadow Lise's theatrical display of vulnerability. Seething with fury, Carrie quaked like a leaf swept into a storm. She steeled herself against the heartache, forcefully ripping the plastic wrap from her aching leg. After her lengthy soak, the bath's lingering moisture had infiltrated her skin, inflaming the wound until it was a vivid, angry red and painfully swollen. She, too, could be clingy. Even in the harshest times back in the county, she had shown vulnerability, breaking down into soft sobs within the comforting arms of her grandmother, especially that one time she got burned by the scalding kettle. But such vulnerability had its time and place, and it wasn't now. The stark reality of Kristopher's exit forced Carrie to confront her need for self-reliance. Biting down hard on her lip, Carrie cleaned the throbbing wound with a practiced hand before securely wrapping it anew. She rose with a newfound resolve and yanked a black suitcase from the far end of her expansive walk-in closet--it held all the belongings she'd brought into this house as a hopeful bride. She grabbed a fresh set of clothes to slip into and left a bank card neatly on the bedside table. She had transferred every penny she'd earned over the past year onto that card, effectively settling her financial entanglements with Kristopher over the last two years and cutting him out of her life for good. Dragging the heavy suitcase behind her, she limped painfully out of the opulent villa. As she passed through the gate, she wrapped her baseball jacket more tightly around her slight figure, her silhouette hauntingly solitary in the enveloping darkness. The night air of early spring was bitingly cold, devoid of any trace of warmth, a chill that seemed almost faint compared to the ice forming in Carrie's shattered heart. She had arrived here with nothing but a suitcase and a heart full of dreams, and now she was leaving, dreams crumbled, utterly alone. A bitter laugh slipped through her lips. If only she hadn't fallen so hard for him, if only she'd proposed an amicable separation at the end of their agreed year, maybe she wouldn't be wandering now, a lost soul in the shadow of her former self. Lise didn't have to lift a finger, and Carrie had already fallen, utterly broken and beyond redemption. Chapter 5 A Gathering Meanwhile, in the Oasis Club, renowned as the priciest spot in Orkset, the air within the VIP room crackled with excitement. Under the spell of bright lights and thumping music, a diverse group of men and women lounged together, basking in the exclusivity of the setting. Suddenly, the door burst open, revealing Kristopher in the doorway. The karaoke session halted abruptly as the crowd turned to greet him in unison, voices mingling. "Kristopher..." Before they could utter another word, a woman cloaked from head to toe stepped out from behind him. Lise, with a fluid motion, removed her mask and slid her arm through Kristopher's. She addressed the room with a poised charm. "My assistant took a sudden leave, and I found myself without company. Not keen on spending the evening alone, I invited Kristopher to join me. I trust that's alright?" Lise's beauty was without question. Her face was a delicate composition of cherry lips and a sculpted nose, framed by eyes that shimmered with a vulnerable allure, commanding a protective fervor from those around her--her presence, ethereal. In contrast, Carrie's features were more pronounced, her beauty vivid and striking. Lise, by comparison, carried a softer, more understated elegance. Yet, as it often goes, matters of the heart followed no simple paths. While Kristopher and Carrie were married, it was in name only; Kristopher seemed detached and seldom included her in private social events. The group didn't have much of a relationship with Carrie, leading them to feel no obligation to defend her. Upon hearing Lise's comment, a moment of discomfort rippled through the air. Nonetheless, they quickly recovered, offering a congenial smile as they said, "We're all friends here; let's not bother with formalities." Lise offered a subtle, knowing smile, as she gracefully accompanied Kristopher into the bustling room. The event that evening had been meticulously planned to express appreciation for Kristopher's contributions. As they stepped into the room, the crowd parted like the sea, making way for them to proceed to the seats of honor. The group's leader handed Kristopher a glass of wine with a flourish, proclaiming with a broad grin, "We truly owe you a debt of gratitude, Mr. Norris! Your exceptional talents are the talk of the town, and witnessing them firsthand today only confirms it. Without your expertise, securing this contract would have been a fantasy!" Their gathering marked the launch of a novel shopping platform, one that had been in negotiation with numerous local brands in Orkset. But the scenario changed dramatically when the tech giant JoyBuy dramatically entered the scene, stirring up the competitive landscape. Competing with JoyBuy was akin to the classic David versus Goliath tale--hopelessly daunting. In a surge of desperation, they turned to Kristopher, reaching out through a network of connections for his renowned strategic prowess. With his characteristic swiftness, Kristopher hatched an ingenious plan and swiftly secured the deal, snatching it from the clutches of JoyBuy right before the business association could ink their agreement--a masterful coup that reverberated success. This remarkable turnaround only intensified the already deep respect everyone held for Kristopher. Albin Murray, beaming with pride, couldn't help but boast, "Ah, just look at the caliber of his friends! They thought they could steal deals right under our noses, obviously underestimating Kristopher's clout!" Albin, born into the wealthy Murray family, counted himself among Kristopher's closest friends. He was renowned for his sprawling social web--a network through which the desperate plea for help was channeled to Kristopher. Meanwhile, Kristopher himself, the focus of all their discussions, reclined nonchalantly on the couch, bathed in the soft glow of the overhead lights. He was well-versed in the art of receiving compliments; thus, his expression stayed calm and detached. The ambient light sculpted his angular features, casting dramatic shadows that emphasized his high nose bridge and sharply cut jawline, as though he were a living masterpiece. His natural grace and detachment eclipsed any terrestrial magnificence. Following a sequence of celebratory toasts, when it became apparent that Kristopher merely touched his glass without truly drinking, the rest of the company toned down their conversation, allowing him a moment of repose with his eyes gently shut. Lise, slightly feverish, opted not to indulge in the spirits, choosing instead to sit in serene silence next to Kristopher, her eyes lingering on him with a look of deep, unmistakable adoration. Albin, captivated by the seemingly perfect pair, pondered the whims of destiny. He discreetly captured their image with his smartphone and nonchalantly shared it across his social networks. As the evening progressed and the liquor dwindled, the room's door swung open anew. Kristopher's personal assistant, Oliver Brooks, made his entrance, acknowledging the gathering with a courteous nod that bordered on respect but avoided groveling, swiftly positioning himself in front of Kristopher. Silence hung in the air, yet Lise, unable to contain her curiosity, leaned in and whispered, "What's going on?" Oliver, maintaining his focus on Kristopher, chose not to respond directly to her. A flush of embarrassment tinted Lise's cheeks as she turned towards Kristopher, hesitatingly inquiring, "Should I leave?" Kristopher adjusted his posture, his voice low and calm as he instructed, "Go ahead, speak." A shiver of apprehension coursed through Oliver as he tentatively began, "Mr. Norris, Mrs. Norris has departed from Bayview Villa, and..." &10&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/65282322-fb_contact-e	Lime novel-E	https://www.facebook.com/100090637249756/	357	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	VIDEO		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/65282322-fb_contact-enp26_6-1226-core3.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=2030515880733998&exdata=0B24339BE5D28C4798D6CD1985D52398125CE84ECA8E21C4	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481195564_1595595671831249_3593649968901042553_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=oueEff4DA9oQ7kNvgEWdKkX&_nc_oc=AdiX1zvl4q37A0EFF65_WWYJdcqKIUu3GLMo-ib1IdUUDIGiOfkxVmUowspI7Aq1CqgE2nj6igD_cB2q1KjGv-ED&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A9qL3Z5XrGSRCfR4W0nS-jX&oh=00_AYCLR-yaIzsNi1ZzwkhZBWyQKN8dk5_75SeuZ4EHDh_yqQ&oe=67C9CDC7	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Lime novel-E	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,726,065	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2726037}'	No	2025-03-02 01:48	active	2672	🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉	I got home after a long day, and my parents were waiting for me in the living room. "Catherine, sit down. We need to talk," my father said, looking quite agitated. "What's going on, Dad?" I asked tiredly. I had worked all day, gone to college at night, and upon getting home, all I wanted was to take a shower and crash into bed. But that wasn't possible. "Catherine, your cousin's wedding invitation has arrived," my mother said. "That little tramp is not my cousin!" I snapped, already getting angry. "Catherine, she is your cousin," my mother insisted. "You need to stop this childish behavior. Melissa already hit her and caused a scene here at home. Enough! She's my sister's daughter, which makes her your cousin." "I'm sorry, Mom, but she means nothing to me," I tried to stay calm. "She slept with my boyfriend in my bed. That's not something she should do." I had been dating Claude for four years; he was my first boyfriend, and I found him in my bed, in my room, sleeping with Kelly, my cousin! I was in shock. Of course, Melissa, my best friend, went after them. Since then, things had been tensed at home because my parents insisted it was silly and that I should act as if nothing had happened and go back to being around my cousin. "He was wrong, Catherine, since he was your boyfriend," my mother argued. "Kelly, poor thing, was seduced. He dishonored her, now he's marrying her so she won't be talked about badly in town." "Oh, Mom! Spare me! The whole town knows Kelly is a shameless woman..." I lost my patience. "Catherine, watch your language!" my father scolded me. "Look, if you don't want to be around Kelly, fine, but you're going to this wedding. And enough with this rude behavior." "I'm what?" I thought I had heard wrong. "You're going to your cousin's wedding, Catherine. That's an order! We're your parents, and you'll obey," my mother spoke angrily at me as if I were the one in the wrong. "I'm sorry, Mom, but I won't! I follow your rules, I'm a good daughter, but this time I can't. I was the one who was wronged! I have every right not to want to be the family joke anymore," I said, already crying. "ENOUGH, CATHERINE!" my father shouted, startling me. "You're going to this wedding, and that's final." "But, Dad..." "I don't want to hear it, Catherine! It's important to your mother to keep peace in the family. So you're going, period," my father said, leaving no room for argument. I spent the night crying in my room. The next day, I told Melissa everything. She wasted no time and arranged invitations to a masquerade ball, a gala event. She told my parents it would be crucial for my career since the city's most important businesspeople would be there. I could make valuable connections, and our professors had promised to introduce us to various entrepreneurs who could open doors for our professional future. At first, my parents weren't entirely convinced, but Melissa's parents talked to them and persuaded them that it would be an excellent opportunity for my future. So they agreed that I should take advantage of it. "Catherine, you can't say no to me! I've already bought the tickets and masks, and I even convinced your parents that this is a super important event for your professional future, which was such hard work. This party is going to be incredible, and you're not going to miss it!" Melissa looked at me with puppy dog eyes, clasping her hands together as if begging. I was sitting at my desk at work in the middle of a Thursday afternoon, between taking messages and making calls, when Mel showed up with coffee, chocolate muffins, and this persistence about getting me to agree to go to the masquerade ball, which was the biggest annual event in our city. "Oh, Mel, how is it that I can never say no to you? Alright, I'll go!" I agreed to go to the ball, but I still wasn't sure. Either way, I was going to sleep at Mel's house to avoid the wedding, but I wasn't planning on going to the party. However, Melissa kept pushing until she convinced me to go. On Saturday, we got ready at her place. "Wow, girl! You look absolutely stunning!" She handed me a beautiful golden mask, intricately designed like lace that covered up to my nose, and I put it on. I was wearing a shimmering red satin dress, and the mask matched perfectly. "So, are we ready?" "Yes, we're ready," I replied and grabbed my purse. "Oh, I forgot my perfume." "No problem, you can use my mom's new perfume. She won't mind." When Fred, Mel's boyfriend, saw us, he smiled, gave Mel a kiss, and said: "Girls, you look gorgeous! I think you'll leave this party with a new boyfriend, Cat." "No boyfriend, Fred. Actually, I think I'd better stay, I'm not in the party mood. Please, Mel, let me stay?" Chapter 2 There was no way out - my friend dragged me to the ball. As soon as we got in, Mel pulled us to the bar and whispered in my ear: "It's an open bar tonight, so you're going to drink until all that sadness washes away!" Mel handed me two tequila shots while holding two more in her hands. "Let's down these!" We knocked back the tequila, and Fred was already handing each of us a cosmopolitan. Melissa dragged me to the dance floor, and I was actually having fun. When a slow song started playing, Fred and Mel began slow dancing together. I took that as my cue to head to the buffet, but I didn't make it there. I felt someone grab my hand, and when I turned around, there was a man in a black mask smiling at me - and what a smile! He kissed my hand and pulled me close, whispering in my ear with a husky voice: "Surely the most beautiful woman in the room won't deny me a dance, will she?" "And why not? Let's dance," I smiled back at him. It was impossible to resist that seductive husky voice and that gorgeous crooked smile! He was tall with broad shoulders, had a charming smile and blue eyes - so blue they were almost violet. He had sinfully tempting lips, brown hair, and when he pulled me by the waist, I placed my hands on his chest and could feel he was a wall of well-defined muscle. Although the mask concealed his face, he was very charming and enchanting. "I've been watching you since you arrived," this mysterious man whispered in my ear. "You're so beautiful!" "You're kind. But you're not from around here, are you?" He had a powerful presence, radiating authority. "No. A friend convinced me to come to this party." "Looks like we have something in common - my friends convinced me to come too." "Lucky me!" "And why's that?" I smiled. "Because I was captivated the moment I saw you. You're stunning." As he whispered in my ear, I got goosebumps, feeling my face flush and my body tingle - he truly had me enchanted. "Even with the mask?" "Even with the mask! You're too beautiful." "You're such a charmer." "You think I'm charming?" "You know you are. And handsome too." "I'm glad you like what you see." "And what do you do for a living, handsome?" - I felt a bit dizzy, not sure if it was from the drink or the delicious cologne that man was wearing. I ended up stumbling over my own feet. "Are you okay?" "I think I need some air." "Come with me." - He pulled me into a dark hallway that led to an emergency exit and started fanning my face. - "I really want to kiss you. May I?" - I nodded yes. He looked into my eyes, held the back of my neck, and our lips met. It started slow but deepened; he pressed me against the wall, and the kiss intensified even more, almost taking our breath away. When he broke the kiss so we could breathe, we looked into each other's eyes - it was like throwing gasoline on fire. He ran his hand down my waist to my leg and pulled my leg up to his waist. I was completely surrendered by then, feeling his body against mine. I went crazy with desire and pulled him closer, wrapping my leg around his waist. "You're a great kisser!" - I smiled at him and felt my whole body tingle. "Oh, beautiful, you're incredible. I want you so badly, here, right now!" - he said between kisses and slipped his hand under my dress, pulling it up and reaching my underwear. I was on fire when he put his hand inside my underwear and yelled. - "Oh! So delicious! So hot, so wet!" - He said and kissed me harder while unzipping his pants. With a quick movement, like someone who had done this before, he tore my underwear and caressed my entrance, as if asking for permission. He looked into my eyes again and asked: "What do you want me to do?" "I want you inside me now!" I responded shamelessly, already panting with desire. I couldn't resist those eyes and that husky voice. I'd never been like this before - normally, I would have pulled away the moment he grabbed my hand, but tonight I had promised myself to have fun and live in the moment if someone interesting came along. And that's exactly what I was doing, living in the moment. Hearing me, he entered me slowly, watching as I leaned my head against the wall and savored every inch of him - and he was huge. He took the opportunity to scatter kisses along my neck. When he was fully inside, he paused and whispered between kisses in my ear: "Now I'm going to move." He pulled out only to thrust back in with full force this time, and it was incredible. I was completely lost and driven wild by his movements as he moved in and out of me frantically. We lost control and gave ourselves over completely, as if nothing else existed around us. I felt a haze in my eyes as my climax began to build, and I moaned softly in his ear. At that moment, he seemed to go crazy, lifting my other leg to his waist as I wrapped them around him. Kissing me intensely, he thrust even harder into me - it was heaven on earth. I came again, even more intensely than before, leaving me breathless. As I was coming, he whispered that he was close to his limit feeling me pulse around him, and soon I felt his hot release inside me. We stayed there against that wall, completely breathless, his forehead resting against mine. While kissing me, he slowly withdrew, and I was thoroughly satisfied - as Melissa would say. I smiled and he looked at me, gave me a soft kiss and said: "You're truly amazing!" He gently lowered my legs until my feet touched the ground, fixed my dress, adjusted his pants, and hugged me. It was so intimate, so affectionate - despite the wildness of our encounter and the intensity with which we'd given in to each other, he was still gentle with me. I'd never had such an incredible experience, but I'd only ever been with my ex until now. And my ex had never cared about hugging me afterward, or worried about my pleasure - for him, it was just about getting in and out until he was satisfied. So having a man care about me, about my pleasure, take care of me - it was new, and amazingly so. He kissed my neck and whispered in my ear: "So, beautiful, I still don't know your name." It took me seconds to process and finally realize that I'd just slept with a complete stranger whose name I didn't even know. Just as I was about to speak, he pulled his phone from his pocket and asked for a minute to answer it. He stepped away slightly and I could only hear him raising his voice saying: "What did you say?" At that moment, the stranger ran off as if he'd forgotten about me, or as if he was just running away from the woman he'd quickly hooked up with at the party. Of course, Catherine, you're an idiot! But so what? I was just having fun too, and I didn't even know who the guy was, and he didn't know who I was. All good. I pulled myself together, looked in vain for my underwear - no idea where he'd thrown it - and left that hallway. I went back to the table and found Mel and Fred making out. They soon stopped and focused on me: "Mel, I think I found the Big Bad Wolf!" I laughed, and she laughed with me. "When we get home, I want to know everything!" "Of course you do!" I replied with sparkling eyes. "Prince, I think we can go now. What do you think, Cat?" "I'm ready whenever you are!" I said, downing a glass of water. "Let's go then, girls!" Fred said and led us to the exit. We'd barely gotten home when Mel started demanding: "Tell me everything - who is he, how it went, how it didn't go, everything." I laughed and told her everything. When I finished speaking, my friend was staring at me open-mouthed and asked: "You guys used protection, right?" My heart started racing! We hadn't used protection. I shook my head no at her; I was in shock realizing how careless I'd been. She immediately tried to calm me down: "No, Cat, calm down. I'm sure nothing will come of it. But you should get some tests done to make sure everything's okay. I'm going to the kitchen to make us some tea. Don't freak out!" Chapter 3 On Monday during lunch, I met Mel. She handed me a small bag from a fancy store, and I looked at her, confused. "My mom asked me to give this to you. She said it's perfect for you and doesn't suit her," Mel said with a big smile. I opened the bag, and inside was the perfume I had worn to the ball. A huge smile spread across my face. I loved that perfume, and it was part of the best night of my life. I just hoped that my best night hadn't left me with an STD as a souvenir. With that thought, I thanked Mel and told her I'd call her mom later, then mentioned I wanted to call the lab to schedule some tests. I called the laboratory and was informed that I needed a doctor's prescription to get the tests covered by health insurance. Thank God the company provided health insurance for employees because otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do. My salary wasn't high, and what little was left after covering college expenses went to helping at home, since my mom didn't work outside the house and my dad didn't make much as a driver. So I made a doctor's appointment, but the earliest available slot was two weeks away, and I waited anxiously. The more days passed, the more nervous I became, though Mel did everything to calm me down. On the scheduled date, she went to the doctor's with me. With the list of tests in hand, she personally scheduled the lab work and insisted on accompanying me. Three weeks had passed since the party when I finally got the tests done. The results came back five days later, and I returned to the doctor. Of course, Mel was with me. The doctor checked the results and looked me in the eyes: "Miss Catherine, your health is excellent. You're healthy. But from now on, you'll need to take better care of yourself." I breathed a sigh of relief, but was I really about to get lectured by the doctor for having unprotected bedlife with a stranger? Well, I deserved it - not using protection was silly, I could have caught a disease. And then he continued: "Congratulations, you're conceived! I'm going to refer you to an OB-GYN for prenatal care..." I didn't hear anything else, just the blood pulsing in my ears. I couldn't believe this! conceived? How would I explain this? It's not possible. Me, of all people, the perfect goody-two-shoes who never stepped out of line, who always considered the consequences before doing anything, who was always responsible - the first time I let rationality slide, I ended up conceived and didn't even know who the father was! Mel held my hand and kept repeating: "Calm down, Cat, everything will be okay!" How could everything be okay? I didn't even know who the father was. I would have to tell my parents, their only daughter would break their hearts. They would be disappointed, hate me, and kick me out of the house. How could I explain that I don't even know what the father of my child looks like? I was already hyperventilating. Suddenly, I felt the doctor taking my hand and speaking calmly: "Easy now, dear! The situation, from what I can see, isn't ideal, but you can't get this nervous, it will harm your baby. Now you have to take care of yourself for the baby's sake. I'm sure the people who love you will support and help you. But you need to calm down because only you can ensure this baby develops healthily and is born strong. Do you understand me?" I looked at that short, white-haired, slightly chubby gentleman, with his glasses perched on the tip of his nose, and nodded positively. Somehow he calmed me down a bit, maybe because his eyes sparkled with a kindness and understanding that we rarely see these days. The doctor asked his secretary to bring me some chamomile tea, and while I drank it and tried to calm down, he gave all the information to Melissa, who listened attentively. We left the office and Melissa took me to a diner, saying we needed to eat something. As soon as I sat down, I felt the tears falling. My friend hugged me and told me once again that I wasn't alone. I looked at her and said: "The only thing I'm sure of right now is that I want you and Fred to be my child's godparents because I know you'll support them and give them lots of love." Her eyes sparkled, and she burst into tears, responding between sobs: "I'll be the best godmother in the world and I'll always be close to our baby! And I'm sure Fred will be very happy too!" She assured me she would always be by my side, made it clear that I wouldn't go through anything alone, and that she would be with me when I talked to my parents. My parents... oh! I started thinking and decided I wouldn't hide it from them for even a day; I would tell them that very night. I wouldn't go to college, I would go home to talk to them. Mel immediately supported me and said: "Let's go then, I'm with you!" When we arrived at my house, my parents were startled, and my mom came right over, worried: "Girls, didn't you go to class today? Is everything okay?" "Not really, Mom. I need to talk to you both." My parents immediately realized it was something very serious. We all sat in the living room and I told them what was happening, admitting I had been irresponsible by hooking up with a stranger at the party. I obviously didn't go into details, but I made it clear that I couldn't find my child's father again. The disappointment in their eyes was evident. My mother was sobbing uncontrollably, saying I was ruined. My father hadn't said anything yet. Seeing how upset my mother was, Melissa quickly went to the kitchen and came back with a glass of sugar water for her. Melissa always gives sugar water to nervous people, saying it calms them down - I never understood that. Finally, my father spoke: "You made a huge mistake and there's no going back." My parents were very simple people. My father was a tall, strong man, and my mother was an older version of me, but both had great character and solid principles they always made sure to pass on to me. Hearing my father emphasize that I had messed up made my heart ache even more. I started crying and said: "I know, Dad, I was irresponsible. But there's nothing I can do now. I'll drop out of college to raise my child. And I'm going to pack my bags..." "Pack your bags? You're very mistaken if you think you're leaving this house like that. You made a mistake, and you disappointed us, but we love you, we'll get through this and we'll help you. You're not alone, my daughter! And neither is this child!" My father said this and my heart filled with hope. "But Dad, I brought shame to you..." "You're not the first and won't be the last single mother in this world. We would have liked things to be different for you, not so difficult. You've always been so responsible! But if this is how it is, we'll face it together. You won't leave college - more than ever, you need to grow in life to take care of your child. You're going to be a single mother, your responsibility is huge. We'll help you, and even though it will be difficult, everything will work out." Melissa was already crying and quickly spoke to my parents: "Mr. Anthony, Mrs. Selina, you can count on me, I'll help with everything! Besides, I'm this baby's godmother, Cat is like a sister to me, and I'll always be around." My parents looked at her gratefully. I looked at those three feeling completely blessed to have them in my life, full of love for them and experiencing a totally new feeling for that little being still growing inside me, whose existence I had just discovered! As difficult as being a single mother would be, that night at the ball was the best night of my life. I could never forget those violet-blue eyes looking at me with adoration during our furtive encounter and everything my body experienced that night. I would always have that sweet memory with me. The following months were difficult. I kept the dress, shoes, mask, and perfume that Mel's mother gave me in a box. On difficult days, I would open that box and relive that night in my memory. Although I had a peaceful pregnancy, people's comments and cruelty were hard to bear. To make matters worse, after they got married, my ex and my cousin moved in with her parents, who lived on the same street as us. They made sure to humiliate me with nasty comments whenever they saw me and spread throughout the neighborhood that I didn't know who my child's father was and that I was a loose woman, which was why Claude had left me. I wanted to end them! Kelly's mother, who was my mother's sister, never missed a chance to come to our house and torment us, saying how fortunate it was that her daughter wasn't like me, that she was a good girl who had married a decent man. She seemed to have forgotten that she had stolen my boyfriend and slept with him in my bed. But I swallowed it all; it wasn't worth arguing with these people, and I didn't want to transmit negative feelings to my child. As the days went by, I loved that baby more and more. I had no idea such love could exist. Everything I did, I did for him. I would protect him from everything; I would give my life to him. And surprisingly, during the whole time of carrying with a baby, everything seemed to flow in my favor, things were falling into place and working out. My boss was great, understood my situation, and even gave me a small raise, which was a huge help! Mel and Fred showered me with attention, they were in love with their godchild even before knowing if it would be a girl or boy. They insisted on buying everything for the nursery, which turned out beautiful. Mel accompanied me to all appointments and every test, never missing anything. She even organized two baby showers - one at the company and another at college. My child would come into the world surrounded by love. I found out I was having a boy and decided to name him Peter. And so it was. Peter was born healthy, with a pair of huge violet-blue eyes that would never let me forget the night that changed my life, but was also the best night I'd ever had! I would never forget that man! My son was surrounded by love from the first moment. My parents were enchanted by their grandson. Mel and Fred came to our house every day to see their godson and check how we were doing. Mel was always there supporting me in everything. Her parents also came to visit Peter and said they would be honorary grandparents since they considered me their daughter too, which I found beautiful. They also surrounded me with care. They insisted on giving the stroller as a gift, and the day Peter was born, they came to the maternity ward with a huge basket of flowers and welcome balloons. After my maternity leave ended, my son stayed in my mother's care while I was at work and college. I worked hard and devoted all my time not spent at college or work to my son. With the help of my parents and my son's godparents, I managed everything and didn't miss any semester in college, graduating alongside my friend Melissa. It was a great moment for me and my family. With my diploma in hand, I would now pursue a better future, with the firm purpose that my son would never lack anything. Chapter 4 When I graduated, Peter was already two years old. By then, he was walking everywhere, always clinging to grandma - which was his first word. He was a beautiful boy with straight black hair, fair skin, a cute little upturned nose, and those huge violet eyes that made me sigh. He was my sunshine! And now I would have more time for him. After graduation, my boss called me in for a chat. He was an excellent boss and said he was very happy with my work at the company, but he knew I deserved to go far, so I should look for a job in my field, and he would understand. He assured me that my job at the construction company would be mine for as long as I wanted, and if I left and things didn't work out, I would always have a place to come back to. However, he advised that I should seek something in my field of study to provide a better future for my son. I was very touched by this and accepted his good advice. I told Melissa, and she immediately said she would talk to her father about reaching out to some contacts. It didn't take long before Mr. Oliver Larson, Mel's father, called me to his office and handed me a card, saying: "Catherine, I know you're an excellent girl and a good professional. I spoke with a friend, and he arranged an interview for you at Miller Group. It's for the position of CEO's assistant. If you get this job, you'll be working in your field at a global company. It's an excellent position, but it's not here in Bellwood. You would have to move to Paradise Port. I know it's a huge step, but I think you should consider it - it will be excellent for you. Anyway, send an email to the address on the card with your response, either declining the position or accepting the virtual interview." "Mr. Larson, I don't have words to thank you! You've always been so good to me! Miller Group is one of the largest business conglomerates in the country! Working there is a dream! I'll definitely accept the interview, and if I have to move, I will. I know it will be a great opportunity," I said with conviction. It wouldn't be bad to get away from those nasty family members, especially now that "queen" Kelly was conceived and her mother decided to ask for all of Peter's things for the child of that dishonest couple! Thankfully, my mom told her that was absurd, but it wouldn't matter anyway since I had already given everything Peter had outgrown to an acquaintance who was conceived. My mom had been very upset with her sister, as she was always dismissing my son, always referring to him as the fatherless boy, which really hurt my mom. Leaving this city, I'll only regret leaving my parents and friends behind, but I know they'll support me once again. I thanked Mr. Larson and left the office. When I got to my desk, I spoke with my boss, another Mr. Larson, but since he didn't like being called that, I addressed him by his first name: "Aldo, your brother got me an interview at Miller Group." He smiled: "I know, he just called me. I think you should grab this opportunity. If it doesn't work out, you can always come back." I smiled at him and immediately sent an email to schedule the interview. I quickly received confirmation that the interview would be the next day at ten in the morning, and since I had already taken the initiative to send my resume, the interview would be brief. That night at home, I talked to my parents, who understood, even though they were worried about how I would manage to raise a child alone in another city and got teary-eyed about being far from their grandson. They supported me as always and were happy about the opportunity I received. I asked them not to tell anyone. When Mel arrived - she came every day to see her godson - I told her everything, and she helped me prepare for the next day. At the time of the interview, I went to the meeting room at my workplace; my boss had given me permission. I sat down and waited for the call. I was interviewed by a very kind and intelligent woman, Mrs. Mariana Taylor. It was very pleasant; we talked for two hours. She gave me all the information about the position, salary, and benefits. At the end, she said: "Catherine, you're hired! You'll be replacing me since I'm taking a director position at the London branch, so you'll be taking over my position here. I'd like you to start as soon as possible because I'm leaving in ten days and would like to hand everything over to you before I go. And I'd rather not reschedule my departure. When can you start?" "I just need my boss to release me, but I think I can be there on Monday." - it was already Friday, would Aldo agree to release me today? "Perfect. You can send me an email confirmation after you talk to him. Do you have any questions?" "No, ma'am. Everything is clear." "Great! Welcome to Miller Group. I'm sure you'll do very well. I'll see you on Monday." She ended the call, and my heart was racing - I had done it. The job was great, the salary even better, and I would have chances to progress. It was a dream. But now it was time to rush and sort everything out. I immediately went to talk to my boss. He was happy about it, called accounting, and had them process my settlement right away. After that, he let me go, saying I would always have a place to come back if needed, but he knew I would do very well. I thanked him for everything and left. I sent the confirmation email to Mrs. Taylor, saying I would be at the company at eight on Monday morning, and went straight to talk to Mel and her father - I had to thank them. And that's when Mel surprised me: "Did you think you were going to take my godson away just like that? No way! My father got me an interview at Lynx World in Paradise Port. I'm moving with you, and we'll live together. What do you think?" This was perfect! I was overjoyed, but quickly asked: "Mel, what about Fred?" "Fred has already requested a transfer to the Paradise Port branch at his company; he'll have better opportunities there too. He's coming in fifteen days. Friend, it's a new life for all three of us." I was so happy. Mel had orchestrated everything. Fred would drive us there, and she would take care of Peter while I worked until we found a daycare. She already had three daycares to visit, and her father had already made available a furnished apartment in the city for us. It was too good to be true; I was even scared. Noticing this, Mel nudged me and said: "Learn to accept the good things life offers you!" I smiled at her, and we went to my parents' house. It was time to break the news and say goodbye. Paradise Port is on the other side of the country, so we wouldn't see each other for a while. My parents were happy until I said I would leave the next morning - then the farewell became sad. It was hard to leave them behind, but it was necessary. With the salary I would receive, I could help them now. That was good. The next morning, Fred and Mel arrived right on time. Mel's father had given her a pickup truck as a gift, which made moving our stuff much easier. Fred loaded everything into the truck, and off we went - it would be a full day on the road. We arrived in Paradise Port late Saturday night. Peter was exhausted but had enjoyed himself immensely during the trip - everything was new and exciting to him. We got settled in, ordered some food, and after eating, went to bed. On Sunday, we explored the city to get our bearings. Paradise Port was a huge, modern industrial city on the coast. Its port attracted lots of business, making it a first-world urban center. The apartment where we would be living was close to one of the daycares Mel had contacted, which was great. It wasn't far from the company either - I could get there in twenty minutes by subway. The apartment was beautiful, with a modern design, great ventilation, and huge windows that let in plenty of natural light. That evening, we dropped Fred off at the airport and headed home to rest. The next day would be a big one - I would be starting my new job, while Mel had her virtual interview and would schedule a meeting with the director of the daycare near our apartment to visit and talk. I tucked my son into bed; he was worn out from all the fun he'd had today. As I watched him sleeping peacefully, I felt confident that we would have a really good life here. Peter now had his own room, and Mel and I had planned to buy some things to make it feel more personal and give it our own touch. I grabbed the baby monitor and went to my room. I opened one of my boxes and started organizing everything. When I opened the last box, I took out the box containing my memories from the ball night. I opened it, ran my hand over that beautiful dress, and sighed once again. I picked up the perfume and thought, "Why not?" Starting tomorrow, I would wear this perfume every day - my salary was good, and when this bottle ran out, I could buy another. I put the box away, left the perfume on the dresser, and went to bed full of expectations for this new life that was opening up before me. Chapter 5 I showed up at the company at 8:00 a.m. Mrs. Taylor gave me a warm welcome and introduced me to everyone, and they were all very kind. The boss wasn't there - he was traveling and would return at the end of the week. The office was beautiful, very modern, decorated in white with stainless steel and green accents, managing to be both professional and welcoming. It was elegant, and I really liked it. I was particularly glad I had chosen to wear a black suit with a dark green silk blouse underneath and black heels. I would need to dress elegantly every day now, after all, I would be working directly with the company president. Mid-morning, I received a message from Mel saying she had managed to schedule an appointment with the director of the daycare near our apartment during lunch hour. I explained the situation to Mrs. Taylor and asked if it would be possible to leave during that time, assuring her I would be back on schedule. "So you have a child. How old is he?" she asked with a smile. "He's two years old. He's a very clever little boy. He wasn't planned, but he's the reason for my life!" "What's his name?" "Peter." "Peter. A strong name. You're not married, I know that, but what about your son's father, are you still together?" My heart sank - how could I explain to her that I didn't know who the father was? But I don't lie, so let's face the truth. I told her that Peter's father was someone I met at a party and never saw again. She looked at me seriously, but there was no judgment in her eyes. Then she said: "You have my respect, Catherine. It's not easy being a single mother, and it's very difficult to tell truths like this when you know they might trigger others' judgment. Thank you for your trust and honesty. Go take care of the daycare arrangements for your son, we'll continue this afternoon - no need to rush." I thanked her and said goodbye, heading off to meet Mel and Peter. My admiration and respect for Mrs. Taylor only grew. She's a woman in her mid-fifties, with very light blonde hair and almost transparent blue eyes. She's a beautiful and elegant woman, but most importantly, she's very welcoming. We got along very well. During the rest of the morning, she filled me in with information about the work, and I took notes on everything. At lunchtime, I left the building, and Mel was already waiting at the door with Peter. I got in the car, and we went to lunch before heading to the daycare. Mel and I loved the daycare, and Peter was already fitting in, running around with his new little friends - he's such an outgoing boy. That made me so happy! My son was happy! We decided not to look at other daycares since this one was excellent and very close to home, just three blocks away. We completed the enrollment and sorted out all the details. The director suggested we let Peter stay until the end of the day since he was having fun and could start adapting. Mel agreed to pick him up at the end of the day. Mel dropped me back at the company and told me she'd head home to prepare for her job interview later in the afternoon. I returned to my office, arriving before Mrs. Taylor. I sat at the desk and started reviewing everything she had already told me. The phone on the desk rang, and I wasn't sure what to do, but since this would be my desk, I answered in my most professional voice: "Miller Group, Executive Office, good afternoon, how may I help you?" I heard a deathly silence on the other end followed by a long sigh. Someone spoke up with obvious impatience, in a strong and slightly hoarse voice: "Put Mariana on." I was startled but kept my composure and replied: "I'm sorry, sir, but Mrs. Taylor hasn't returned from lunch yet. May I help you, or would you like to leave a message?" "Who is this speaking," he asked, even more impatiently. "My name is Catherine, I'm Mr. Miller's new executive assistant." "But I don't know you," he seemed to grow more impatient with each word. "It's my first day here, sir. Would you like to leave a message?" "Tell Mariana to call me as soon as she sets foot in the office." "Certainly, sir. And your name is?" "Looks like I'm your boss!" He snapped and hung up. Wow, what a stressed-out man! This wasn't in the job description. My throat immediately tightened. Had I already made a bad impression on my boss? I was so screwed! I started thinking I wouldn't last long in this job. Shortly after, Mrs. Taylor arrived and I passed on the message with a worried look on my face. She looked at me with a smile, as if understanding my concern, and asked: "Was he calm?" I looked at her and couldn't help myself: "He was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I'm pretty sure I could see his jugular vein popping out of his neck." She burst out laughing and then said: "You two are going to get along great! You'll tame the beast, I'm sure of it." I wasn't so sure about that. Maybe I shouldn't even unpack my bags, this man was going to eat me alive!	LEARN_MORE	https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17966&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	redtgb.com	VIDEO		https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17966&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-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/475324254_4089869274630634_5720076333231468739_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=epz-mrQJWZoQ7kNvgGk_-Ih&_nc_oc=AdgpjmpszLeaI19EWR2yXHEqOSahAMykeqVuV58NpPuz2PzYP9ayqfqrNGLHLVBZF5XXLxl_JJsa1C-WiIvDYl6b&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AYlzggUpcoInrj_iY-HHxo9&oh=00_AYB1Dy7zQoFUJlwgG_-TweqiyHid1r5TzTB-njQzDIJJVA&oe=67C9C792	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,728,215	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2728639}'	Yes	2025-03-02 02:54	active	2674	Save $2000: Bathroom Remodeling	👋 Hi, I'm Tim, founder of Precision Bathroom Remodeling! Let us Transform Your Bathroom into a Personal Oasis 💧! The bathroom is not just a functional space; it's your private retreat 🛁, a place to unwind, refresh, & start/end your day in comfort & style 🌟. We work with you to design a custom vision: 🔸 Custom Vanities & Countertops 🔸 Modern Fixtures & Luxury Showers 🔸 Elegant Flooring & Lighting 🔸 And so much more! 🥰 For years, we’ve operated locally & believe in the magic of a beautifully designed bathroom. That's why we're offering 💸 SAVINGS UP TO $2000 💸 on your next project! Contact us to book your free in-home estimate & allow us to earn your business! 📍 Proudly Serving Coventry, Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket & Nearby Areas! 📍	GET_QUOTE		VooltPro Certified	https://www.facebook.com/vooltpro/	227	1969-12-31 18:00	Get quote		VIDEO			1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/476781252_3041825839319862_2695057437241226836_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=TYOsSHuDvMUQ7kNvgGUkbOQ&_nc_oc=AdiXhV8z1fzBLc_NGXEUTyPRWEngORSD0ltR5-rc8aH8R7eYSbCCOCbqAYI23-LP7IgaIMy5XnQ2WXQVfMNPpCFM&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A50OPFbyQdzh70SAhblaUmA&oh=00_AYBWdMVWoChfdGtrydnyFyH5jvDqOhUBbv0l35gNg6I6WA&oe=67C9F293	PERSON_PROFILE	0	VooltPro Certified	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,729,318	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2728630}'	Yes	2025-03-02 02:54	active	2674	chat with me		INSTAGRAM_MESSAGE	https://www.instagram.com/	Lana Mo photography	https://www.facebook.com/lanamophotography/	70	1969-12-31 18:00	Send Message	instagram.com	CAROUSEL		https://www.instagram.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481039813_614270514908008_8740560448522096557_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=7wSKxyef1wkQ7kNvgHLXBKp&_nc_oc=AdiSFU6ZS8X03lWe6lf5KpYk_MpYrqkDh6JGA4eooEcOKkaQg6zJSD_d9X0XJAHHnM79sbmI2zCZvzKmhAjqBX2o&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AFfUltWdO7q65FoMPRppFcp&oh=00_AYBgSxE373wKn3iorcZoJWz8JyJSmo0cZ3KOo99GcjF9fQ&oe=67C9ECE4	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Lana Mo photography	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,725,480	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2725478}'	No	2025-03-02 01:30	active	2671			VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/annacasophie	annacasophie	https://www.instagram.com/_u/annacasophie	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram Profile	instagram.com	CAROUSEL		http://instagram.com/annacasophie	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/283356773_149046774350373_7967716596845884358_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s206x206_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=525117&_nc_ohc=qOmfI71HmXQQ7kNvgGdnB5k&_nc_oc=Adgf9E5wHJo7_k73TfA4Pi63b_-coovhsj5inAdqhLmfeJoSF6Uf0_f2Petwl_p3fe7nGkHC9PNJ0FDU3awc4G1k&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AYD6jdnrz4JTjyH3FxwBvidwZ_FaUX15iTY4vt3qNDu2Og&oe=67C9E02E	IG_ADS_IDENTITY	1	annacasophie	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,720,893	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2025-03-02 00:33	active	2668	🔞Click to read on📜Ex-Husband Got Crazy When I Disappear📜	The day had finally arrived—Hayden Parker was coming back. His friends had all but dragged me, his so-called wife, to the welcome party. I could tell they were just waiting for the moment I would embarrass myself. Whispers of Hayden's newfound romance overseas had buzzed through the air, a reminder that he was likely returning to sever the last ties of our fraying marriage. "Do you think Hayden would go through with the divorce? Yvonne Jackson's grandpa practically forced him into this marriage," a voice sneered. "Ugh, just thinking about that spoiled, clueless Yvonne clinging to Hayden for all those years gave me chills," another chimed in. "I heard that on their wedding night, she stripped down and jumped into Hayden's bed, only to be kicked out. How humiliating!" the third scoffed. Their cruel laughter reverberated around the private room, each chuckle piercing my heart like a shard of glass. I clenched my fists, tears threatening to spill. Yeah, they were right. A decade of my life had been devoted to Hayden—I had poured out my youth and even sacrificed my family. Yet, in the end, I had become little more than a joke in the whole city of Elysiumville. For a moment, an invisible weight pressed down on my chest, tightening around my heart like a vice and making each breath feel laborious. "Yvonne, why are you just standing there?" A voice cut through, jolting me back to reality. I turned to find Nevin, Hayden's younger brother. He had always believed my marriage to Hayden was a catastrophic mistake and had made it his mission to make my life miserable the past year. "Hurry up and come in. Hayden's almost here, and the show's about to start," Nevin urged, and without waiting for my response, he swept into the private room, with a crowd moving in behind him like a relentless tide. Left with no choice, I steeled myself and stepped in after him, the uncertainty swirling within me like a storm. As I entered the room, the lively chatter fell abruptly silent. A few people managed to be polite, standing up to greet me with a friendly nod. I returned with a faint smile, walked over, and settled into a chair. Just then, a booming voice erupted from the entrance. "Hayden, you're finally here. The guys have been waiting." Instantly, my heart plummeted, a heavy stone sinking into my chest. "I got held up," came Hayden's deep voice, smooth and steady, just like I remembered. But then, a sweet, cheerful voice followed, completely catching me off guard. "It's totally my fault. I dozed off the whole way on the plane. But just as we landed, I felt hungry, and he stayed with me to grab a bite," the woman explained, her tone playful and joyful, laced with a hint of pride. A lump rose in my throat—so, this was Hayden's new girlfriend? He had actually brought her here. Suddenly, Nevin's earlier comment about "the good show" clicked into place. "Wow, looks like your new girlfriend is quite the priority, Hayden. We've all been waiting here starving," Nevin chuckled, his voice laced with playful sarcasm. His words cut deep, sending a sharp ache through my heart. Despite all the time I had spent with the Parker family, Nevin had never truly acknowledged me as Hayden's wife. The air was thick with suppressed giggles, and an odd tension settled over the room. Before Hayden could respond, the woman chimed in again, "Come on, Nevin, enough with the jokes. I hardly deserve to be called Hayden's girlfriend." Though her words seemed awkward, her tone told another story. "Nonsense," Nevin shot back, a playful smirk on his face. "Hayden mentioned you took care of him when he was out cold. How could you not be worthy?" Yet, his words barely registered in my mind because. At that moment, Hayden walked in. The crystal chandelier above cast a warm glow across his tall figure, illuminating him like an ethereal vision. He appeared a touch leaner, the angles of his jaw—already striking—were now even more pronounced. His brows bore a newfound intensity that made him the undeniable focal point of every gaze in the room. A black rosary bracelet dangled from his left wrist, dark and mysterious, catching the light with an alluring gleam. In that breathless instant, I felt unmoored. This was the man I had once pursued with relentless passion, the one I would have sacrificed anything for, even my very life, just to be by his side. Yet now, he appeared so distant and cold. The indifference he had maintained over the past year had long since dulled the once-bright love I had felt for him. Just then, Hayden's gaze found me across the room. We weren't too far apart, but the distance between us seemed to stretch like a chasm. There was an inscrutable depth behind his eyes, a flicker of something I couldn't quite decipher. As I tore my gaze away, my attention was drawn to the woman by his side. A wave of instinct nudged me to assess her, and I couldn't help but compare us. She was striking—vibrant eyes that sparkled with life, a radiant smile that could light up the dimmest room, and skin that seemed to glow with an ethereal perfection. No wonder even someone as composed and aloof as Hayden appeared captivated by her charm. With a sigh, I stole a glance at my reflection in the nearby window. My cheeks were pale; the toll of missed meals and sleepless nights had morphed me into a mere shadow of my former self. Honestly, if I were Hayden, I'd probably pick her too. "What are you doing here?" Hayden asked, his voice striking with an icy edge. The harshness of his words landed like a blow, snuffing out the last flicker of hope I had held onto for us. After all this time apart, here he was—flanked by another woman—and his first words weren't even a greeting or an explanation. Instead, he launched that indifferent question, tinged with annoyance, as if my presence were an inconvenience. I forced a brittle smile. "I came to welcome you. Nevin set it up." Hayden's eyebrows knit together slightly, and just as I had expected, he cast a frosty glare in Nevin's direction. Caught off guard, Nevin immediately recoiled, stammering, "I... I didn't think it would be like this." Actually, he had orchestrated the entire scene, eager to see me unravel. In the past, I had been fiercely possessive of Hayden—just a single glance from another woman in his direction would have sent me spiraling. Yet here I was, neither crying nor throwing a tantrum. Instead, I managed a calm smile and said to Hayden, "So, this lovely lady is your new flame?" A gasp rippled through the crowd, and I could sense their curiosity swirling—was there an epic showdown to erupt? Hayden's expression shifted, more intense than I had anticipated. Joanna Charlotte, the woman by his side, suddenly seemed nervous as she stammered, "Yvonne, please don't get the wrong idea. It's not what it appears to be between me and Mr. Parker. We..." Her faltering words only hinted at a deeper connection with Hayden, making the scene even more awkward. In another time, I might have charged at Joanna, tugging at her hair, and lashing out for being the other woman. But now, I simply pasted on a smile and said, "I'm not misunderstanding anything. I'm just relieved to know you're taking care of Hayden." Joanna's jaw tightened, and she retreated a step, seeking refuge behind Hayden's broad shoulders. Hayden's face darkened in an instant. "Have you said enough?" he questioned, his voice a low rumble filled with an unmistakable edge of warning. I already knew Hayden held no affection for me, and he probably resented me for pushing him into marriage. But as he defended someone else and unleash his harsh words upon me, the last remnants of my heart that I had desperately clung to shattered. A decade of unrequited admiration had culminated in nothing but his disdain. A deep sadness washed over me and my vision began to blur. I fought to hold back tears and kept my smile. "Looks I'm not welcome here. You guys can catch up. I'll just take my leave." With that, I turned and walked out of the room without daring to look back. As soon as I reached the stairs, my phone buzzed to life. It was Lucy Coffey, my best friend. "What? Hayden brought another woman back? What a jerk! You've loved him for so long, and just two months ago, when he was in a coma from that accident, you even went abroad to care for him. "Does he have any conscience at all?" Lucy's voice crackled with disbelief and anger on the other end. "Lucy..." I started, but the words faltered, choking in my throat. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't suppress the wave of sadness that washed over me. Lucy picked up on it right away. "Okay, Yvonne, don't cry. Just divorce him. You deserve so much more! There are plenty of younger guys out there, and I hear a freshman has his eye on you." "I can't even think about that right now," I sighed, pressing my fingers against my temples as if to will away the mounting emotions. I had pleaded with my grandfather to allow this marriage for three days. I had believed it was something to cherish, always prioritizing Hayden's happiness above my own. But now, I found myself wishing for nothing more than for him to ask for a divorce. "I feel so sorry for you, Yvonne" Lucy sighed. "Well, since you're free for the evening, how about we grab a drink together?" A drink sounded like exactly what I needed—a little liquid courage to drown my sorrows. But halfway, Xander, Hayden's grandfather, called me back. As I entered Xander's study, I was surprised to find Hayden there as well. A tangle of confusion tightened in my gut—wasn't he supposed to be with his new flame at this moment? .............................................................................. "Yvonne, you're here." Xander's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts, grounding me in the moment. I nodded, offering a smile. In the Parker family, Xander was the only one who had ever treated me with kindness. But why would he suddenly call me and Hayden back? Moreover, just moments ago, Hayden had been at the welcoming party—how had he arrived here before me? Before I could untangle my thoughts any further, Xander continued, "You've been away for too long. Time to get back to reality. Yvonne is a good girl, and you need to treat her with the respect she deserves." His words were clearly directed at Hayden. I stayed quiet to the side, my gaze dropping to the floor. After a moment, I heard Hayden respond in a flat tone, "Yes, Grandpa." Hayden always seemed to go along with Xander's commands. Even when Xander had insisted that Hayden marry me, he had been calm like this. But just a day after our wedding, he left for another country and hadn't returned until now. Frustration bubbled inside me, and I bit my lip, wanting to say something. Just then, Xander spoke up, "Yvonne, I've been craving those pastas you whip up. How about you show me your culinary magic tomorrow morning? It's getting late, so I'll have Luke get a room ready for you and Hayden. You two should catch some shut-eye." I paused—was he expecting Hayden and me to stay over? Despite all the protests in my mind, I took a deep breath and managed to reply, "Okay, Xander." Just as I stepped out of the study, the chill in Xander's voice cut through the air behind me. "So, how much longer are you going to keep that woman around?" It seemed Xander knew about Joanna. I sighed softly, realizing he was probably trying to set me up with Hayden. But honestly, Hayden didn't matter to me anymore. As the door clicked shut, the butler, Luke Mosley, approached me. "Mrs. Parker, it's been long since your grandfather and mother passed away. You've lost quite a bit of weight. You really should take better care of yourself." "Thanks for your concern," I murmured, nodding slowly as my gaze fell to the floor. But once I was alone upstairs and stepped into my room, the floodgates opened. Tears streamed down my cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of my sorrow. Two months ago, I had gone abroad to care for Hayden, who had slipped into a coma after an accident. In my absence, I missed my mother's final moments, and upon my return, all that awaited me was a cold grave. In less than a month, my father remarried. Sophia moved in, bringing her son, Quinn Walton, into my home which now felt foreign and unwelcoming. As the days passed, the truth began to claw its way to the surface, and I discovered my father had long been having an affair with Sophia. But I had been so obsessed with Hayden that I hadn't even noticed the declining in my mom's mood. In what felt like the blink of an eye, my once-happy home had splintered, and only then did I realize that in loving Hayden, I had lost everything precious in my life. And what of him? Instead of showing me compassion, he paraded his new romance in front of everyone, leaving me feeling utterly humiliated and discarded. How foolish I had been—sacrificing love, family, and even my own happiness for a man who showed me so little loyalty in return for over ten years. But now, as the dust settled around me, I knew it was time to reclaim my life. *** Hayden returned half an hour later. His eyes, cold as ice, scanned me up and down, not a hint of warmth in them. "It's only been a year, and you've managed to win over Grandpa. You've really got some tricks up your sleeve." I frowned slightly, sensing the underlying accusation that I had confided in Xander about Joanna. Did he think so little of me? Anyway, it didn't matter anymore. I forced a smile and shot back, "When are you planning to divorce me?" Surprise flashed across his face, but it was quickly overshadowed by the deepening darkness in his sunken eyes. "Yvonne, what's the angle here? What game are you running?" Bitterness churned in my heart. I had once clung to him with desperate fervor, employing every tactic I could fathom to make him mine. Naturally, he would suspect that I had ulterior motives for wanting a divorce now. "Don't you hate me?" I asked, my voice calm. "You have another woman now, so it's only fair that I step aside." My gaze met his with a newfound clarity, stripped of its former love, revealing instead a vast ocean of sorrow. He seemed to sense the change in me and looked at me with disgust. "Step aside? By going crying to Grandpa while talking about divorce? I don't have time for your foolish games. Just stay where you belong, and the Parker family will take care of you for life." With that, Hayden turned and headed to the bathroom. I stood there, dazed, until the sound of water rushing from the tap broke the silence. A deep sigh escaped my lips—take care of me for a lifetime? Right, back then, I had married into the Parker family with the Jackson family business backing me. Xander had said I would always be his granddaughter-in-law. It seemed that I'd first have to earn Xander's approval, before divorcing Hayden. So, for tonight, I'd have to make do here. I grabbed a blanket, and curled up on the couch. When Hayden came out, I played possum, pretending to be fast asleep. In the darkness, I heard his footsteps linger for what felt like forever. He probably couldn't believe that I, who once shamelessly climbed into his bed, was now the one giving him the cold shoulder. The next morning, I awoke hazily, surprised to find myself in bed. I quickly glanced around... Thank God, Hayden wasn't there. Otherwise, I could just picture him giving me a hard time for trying to sneak into his bed. With a flicker of melancholy, I rose and headed downstairs to whip up breakfast for Xander before heading out. My dad had called, asking me to come home later in the afternoon. As I approached the grand front door of the Jackson residence, I unexpectedly crossed paths with Sophia and Quinn. Quinn was tall and well-built, carrying his backpack over one shoulder like he didn't have a care in the world. I'd heard he was in college, a bit of a loner, not really into the whole social scene. Our eyes met briefly, but we didn't say a word. Suddenly, a soft hum of an engine broke the stillness, and a familiar car pulled up beside me. It was a rare Rolls-Royce, and when I caught a glimpse of the license plate, my heart sank—was that Hayden's car? Before I could think it through, the car door swung open, and Joanna stepped out, followed closely by Hayden. The moment our eyes locked across the distance, surprise flickered in their expressions. "Joanna, what brings you back?" Quinn, who'd been silent until then, hurried over to her side. My heart skipped a beat. Quinn knew Joanna? What was their relationship? "I came to see you," Joanna said softly, her eyes flicking from Quinn to me. "Didn't expect to run into you here, Ms. Jackson." "This is my home," I replied, meeting her gaze with a cool defiance. Quinn leaned closer to Joanna and whispered, "Mom married Yvonne's dad, Phillip." As the day unfolded, I discovered that Joanna and Quinn were half-siblings, both sharing Sophia as their mother. What a twist of fate—Joanna had taken my husband's heart, and her mother had done the same to my mom's. Just then, I felt a heavy gaze boring into me. I pivoted to find Hayden's piercing eyes locked onto mine. I was confused. I was the one who'd caught him and Joanna together, yet why did he look so angry? Did he think I spoiled his night? What a piece of work. "You remember this is the Jackson residence, right?" I challenged, a hint of defiance in my tone. He probably indeed hadn't a clue—after all, despite our marriage, he'd never once stepped foot here. Then again, he never cared about me or my life. Hayden frowned, his expression heavy. But before he could respond, Joanna jumped in to his rescue. "I was eager to see my brother, and Mr. Parker kindly offered me a ride." "Is this your boyfriend?" Quinn piped up, cutting through the moment. Joanna's face turned to stone, and suddenly, the air grew thick with tension. .............................................................................. Instinctively, my eyes flicked to Hayden, and I wondered if he would snap back at Quinn. Or he had completely forgotten he was still wearing a wedding band? Joanna quickly stepped in to clarify, her voice tinged with a subtle edge of frustration, "Quinn, don't talk nonsense. This is Ms. Jackson's husband." Quinn's face went blank, his eyes wide with shock as he turned to look at me. I ignored him and replied coolly, "Not for long." Joanna's eyes bulged, her surprise evident. Hayden must have felt the shift in me. His eyes held a piercing scrutiny as they bore into mine. "Yvonne Jackson," he intoned, his voice a deep rumble, almost a warning. Back in the day, his anger would have sent shivers down my spine. But now? I just smirked. "I'll draft the divorce agreement tonight, and you can let your girlfriend take my place." With that, I turned and strode through the gates, not giving a second glance to Hayden's reaction. Though it had been summer for a while, a biting chill rode the wind, stinging my skin. I raised a hand to touch my cheek and realized it was damp. Stepping into the living room, I found Yosef was engaged in conversation with Sophia, whose gaze was full of hostility the moment it fell on me. Sophia was a striking beauty with high cheekbones and deep-set eyes. She favored bold makeup that sometimes bordered on garish, yet her vivid hues seemed to captivate my father's attention. I simply greeted them and followed Yosef into his study. "What? You want a divorce?" Yosef gaped at me, his expression a mix of disbelief and horror, as if I'd suggested something utterly preposterous. He continued, "Have you forgotten that our family's fortune is tied to the Parkers? If you split from Hayden, what are we supposed to do? "And don't forget how you pleaded with your grandfather to marry him in the first place. You made a fool of us all, and now you're talking about ending it?" His words felt like a sharp knife, slicing through the tender wounds on my heart, leaving me feeling as if my very lifeblood was draining away. "I made a mistake, and now I'm trying to correct it. Trust me. Once Hayden and I part ways, he'll end up with Joanna, and your wealth and status will remain intact," I said, my voice steady. "Joanna? How could she and Hayden..." Yosef paused, his voice trailing off. Suddenly, a realization hit him, and his eyes widened in disbelief. "They..." I looked up at him. "Shouldn't you be the one to know? Remember how Sophia took you away from my mom?" It was like I'd hit a raw nerve. Yosef's face clouded over, and he snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting? Sophia and I were just friends—nothing more!" "Oh, really?" I scoffed. "You remarried less than a month after my mom passed away. Quite the swift rebound, don't you think?" "Don't you dare!" Yosef's hand shot up as if to strike me. But after a long, tense moment, he hesitated, his hand suspended in mid-air. "From now on, you don't need to reach out. I won't disturb your family anymore," I stated firmly, drawing a clear line in the sand. He seemed shocked by my resolve. "You're not coming back? You mentioned divorce, but where else can you go?" I didn't say a word. Instead, I turned and walked straight out of the study. The world was vast—surely, I could carve out a spot for myself. As I descended the stairs, Sophia and Quinn had vanished, and Hayden was conspicuously absent—perhaps he never even stepped inside. The only person I encountered was Joanna. Truth be told, I'd never had a one-on-one conversation with her before. "I didn't expect your father to be Yosef," Joanna said first, her tone stripped of the deference she showed around Hayden, now tinged with a subtle scorn. "Same with me, considering your mother is Sophia," I replied nonchalantly, and with that, I turned to leave. Joanna stepped in front of me, blocking my way. "Don't you have anything to say to me?" I met her challenge head-on. "What would you like to hear? Should I beg you to leave Hayden and spare my marriage?" For a moment, Joanna seemed taken aback. "Or perhaps you'd prefer if I threw a punch as Hayden's lawful wife?" I added, a smirk playing on my lips. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You want to hit me?" "Nah, that'd mess up my hands," I dismissed with a casual shake of my head. "You!" Joanna spat, her jaw tight as she glared at me as if she wanted to swallow me whole. "Hayden doesn't love you at all. He married you because of his grandfather." "I know," I replied, unfazed. "Are you trying to say his true love is you? Well, I wish you both a long and happy life together, with a house full of kids." Joanna looked shocked, probably because she had never met a wife like me before—I wished the other woman good luck in starting a family with my husband. Just then, Sophia sauntered over, her hips swaying. She cast me a sidelong glance and let out a mocking sneer, "Joanna's definitely expecting soon—unlike someone who's been married for a year and still doesn't have any news." Joanna's spirits lifted. "Mom, I heard Hayden hasn't even laid a hand on her." In an instant, the mother-daughter duo erupted into peals of laughter. My jaw clenched tight. I couldn't believe Hayden had shared that with her. Was he trying to show some twisted sense of loyalty? That jerk! What had I ever seen in him in the first place? Taking a deep breath, I turned to Sophia and asked, "So, you married my dad only after you got pregnant with his kid?" Sophia's smile broadened as she gently caressed her belly. "Or what else would make your dad so eager to marry me? Your mom couldn't even give him a son, so why keep her around?" I narrowed my eyes, the truth starting to sink in. No wander Yosef had been so eager to marry Sophia. They must have been entangling for a while. Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I scrutinized her. "How can you be so sure it's a boy? What if it's a girl?" "Shut up! I'm definitely having a boy!" Sophia yelled, her gaze sharp as daggers. I forced a sad smile. She acted all high and mighty, but she saw herself as nothing more than a baby-making machine. Shaking my head, I turned to leave. Sophia trembled with rage. "That little brat! Just like her mother—so annoying! Joanna, how are things going with Hayden? Hurry up and get pregnant." She believed as long as Joanna had a child, Hayden would definitely divorce Yvonne. After all, Sophia had wormed her way into the Jackson family so fast just because of that little bun in her oven. "Mom..." Joanna's voice faltered, her face clouding with uncertainty. "Hayden's always got that rosary bracelet on. Everyone knows he's abstinent. I..." Sophia couldn't tolerate Joanna's timidity. She raised her voice abruptly. "What's got you so scared? I've pulled strings to send you overseas to get close to Hayden, and you're almost there. Stay focused. With your looks, he won't stand a chance." Joanna's eyes flickered with anxiety, but she didn't dare to argue. "But Mom, what once woke Hayden from his coma was a piano piece, and he's asked me about it. The problem is, I can't play the piano at all." "Then go learn!" Sophia interrupted sharply. "Don't even think about bringing this up again. The one who revived Hayden must be you." *** As twilight descended, I made a brief stop at the law office before heading home. After a discussion with my lawyer about the divorce details, I drafted the agreement. They were just a few flimsy papers, yet they weighed on me like a ton of bricks. .............................................................................. For the past ten years, I'd been madly in love with Hayden. I never imagined that I'd have to end this relationship now. When I got home, I saw Hayden's car parked in the driveway—he was back? It had been a whole year, and I'd hoped every day for his return, only to be let down time and again. But now that he was actually here, I wasn't feeling the joy I thought I would. Instead, I felt an even heavier load on my shoulders. As I walked into the living room, I found Hayden sitting on the sofa. He had his phone in his right hand and seemed to be talking to someone. A half-smoked cigarette burned between his left index and middle fingers, the smoke curling up and clouding his strikingly handsome face. The rosary bracelet on his wrist stood out against the haze. "Yeah, I see. You should get some rest, too. I'll pick you up in the morning," Hayden said, his voice gentle. Instantly, it struck me that he was probably talking to Joanna. A sharp pain shot through my chest—he had never spoken to me with that kind of tenderness. Just then, Hayden ended the call and gave me a frosty stare. "If you have an issue, come to me. Don't bother Joanna." For a moment, I almost couldn't catch my breath, as if my heart was breaking. But instead of tears, a bitter laugh slipped out. "When have I ever given her any trouble?" "She's had a hard life with her mother and brother. Just when things were finally looking up for her, you had to mock her?" Hayden glared at me like I was a scum of the earth. I choked back tears and tightened my grip on the divorce agreement. "You pity her for her hardships, but what does that have to do with me?" I shot back, my voice trembling before I even realized it. Who could grasp the struggles my mom and I went through? Thanks to Sophia, our picture-perfect home had been shattered into pieces. My mother jumped to her death on that cold, dark night, and I couldn't even fathom the despair she must have felt. Now, my husband was about to be taken from me too. Didn't our pain mean anything compared to Joanna's? I didn't expect Hayden to say anything. I stepped forward and placed the documents in front of him. "Sign it. From now on, you can care for her however you want." Hayden's expression darkened, and the air around us thickened. It felt like a heavy weight pressing on me, making it hard to breathe. "Yvonne Jackson, what exactly do you want?" His voice was low but laced with threat. I took a breath and smiled, trying to stay calm. "Isn't this what you've always wanted? Hayden, let's get a divorce. I'll give you your freedom." I thought he'd agree and scribble his name on the agreement right away. But he didn't even look at it. Instead, he tore it into pieces. And suddenly, he stood up and stepped toward me, his tall figure casting a dark shadow over me. "This marriage isn't a playground where you can just do as you please, Yvonne. What do you take me for?" Hayden's voice boomed with fury, his eyes boring into me as if they could set me ablaze. I wasn't scared, not even a bit. If anything, I felt like laughing. "And what do you take me for? You bolted overseas right after we got married, and now you come back with another woman. Are you even aware that you're cheating with Joanna?" Mentioning Joanna seemed to hit a nerve. Hayden's gaze faltered for a moment before he replied, "Grandpa won't agree." "I'll talk to him about it," I said coldly, addressing his concerns. "Have you lost your mind?" Hayden frowned. "Probably," I murmured, pasting on a weak smile and casting my gaze downward. No one was privy to the hell I'd been through over the past year. I lost my cherished grandpa and my mom, one after the other. I used to be surrounded by so much love, but all of that vanished after I married Hayden. I lost my family, and even though I had a marriage certificate with Hayden, I had never really felt like I belonged in his life. I had been even the butt of jokes in Elysiumville. On countless cold, dark nights, I'd asked myself why I loved Hayden so deeply. Now, I woke up to the truth—he wasn't worth my love at all, and I had to end this marriage. Hayden stared at me, his deep eyes devoid of emotion. After a long, heavy silence, he turned and walked away without saying another word. I looked down at the torn divorce agreement scattered on the floor. It wasn't until my legs ached that I let out a soft sigh and made my way back upstairs. In the mirror, I saw a woman with tear-streaked eyes and a pale face, looking so hurt and sorrowful. Ten years of love, reduced to just a few sheets of paper... How pathetic. The next morning, I woke up with eyes so puffy they were almost sealed shut. I quickly iced them to reduce the swelling and put on some light makeup before heading to the Parker residence. As soon as I saw Xander, I laid out my intention straight away. His expression turned serious, his brows knitting together. After a long silence, he sighed, "Yvonne, I can see you're hurting. Hayden really messed up. But you've barely been married. Divorcing now would be such a pity." "I made a mistake, and I don't want to keep repeating it," I said, my teeth clenched just a bit. Sometimes, it took real guts to right the wrongs of the past. Xander stayed quiet for what felt like forever, his gaze on me distant, as if he were seeing someone else through me. "Phillip and I had a life-or-death friendship, and he entrusted you to me. I was supposed to take care of you. But now..." He sighed deeply, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. In Elysiumville, everyone knew about the unbreakable bond between Xander and Phillip. I lowered my gaze, trying to push the past aside. "Xander, for my late grandpa's sake, please support my request." Xander sighed again, knowing he couldn't argue further. Wearily, he rubbed his eyes. "For what Hayden did, the Parker family owes you an apology. But divorcing just like this is really a pity. "You and Hayden haven't spent much time together since the wedding, right? How about you join the company and work alongside Hayden. Give it three months, and if you still want a divorce after that, I won't stand in your way." "Work at the company?" I asked, taken aback. "Yeah. Phillip has left you some shares, so consider this carefully," Xander added. Suddenly, it clicked. One reason Hayden had to marry me was because the Jackson family shared crucial tech from their electronics business with the Parkers. If I divorced Hayden, the assets would definitely be on the line—Xander was trying to keep me in the picture. But I'd already waited a whole year, so what were three more months? "Okay," I nodded. Anyway, in just three months, I'd be able to cut all ties with Hayden. Before I left, I went back to my room to grab the clothes I had worn two days ago. In the hallway, I bumped into a servant. "Mrs. Parker, are you staying for lunch?" she asked. "No," I shook my head. "I've misplaced one of my hairpins. Any idea where it might be?" "It could be in the guest room," she replied, her hand over her mouth as she chuckled. "You dozed off there the other night, and then Mr. Hayden Parker carried you back to your room." I stood frozen—Hayden carried me?	LEARN_MORE	https://www.yumread.com/share/middle/kmlvsmx2eweyz	Oasisread	https://www.facebook.com/100088564877561/	1,190	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	www.yumread.com	VIDEO		https://www.yumread.com/share/middle/kmlvsmx2eweyzmr221wdsjja?ad_id={{ad.id}}&sid=120217883957670751&campaign={{campaign.name}}&adgroup={{adset.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/482301846_1725605404667337_1254769348846721602_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=mThYyC0Ku4kQ7kNvgEJwqHb&_nc_oc=Adin_vG-kGciXkPn6GkY0BQvvFvUbh-eNtGwqJkq0y9gXrIzD1XeIOORs4j7lECq9BI&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ASTYf6gYMVpSikynBh5yuRn&oh=00_AYAEZgepP9MK9y0Ki9uBWWfw_68eSs_-sJ1nrxEwWMo22g&oe=67C9BE1D	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Oasisread	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,722,424	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2721936}'	No	2025-03-02 00:48	active	2669	WE FINANCE ALL ELECTRONICS/ NO CREDIT CHECK	JOB + BANK ACCOUNT = APPROVED. NO CREDIT CHECK.	MESSAGE_PAGE		Mac Deals Atl	https://www.facebook.com/100064167991627/	180	1969-12-31 18:00	Send Message		CAROUSEL	JOB + BANK ACCOUNT = APPROVED. NO CREDIT CHECK.		1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/478817549_1159859108967958_4988746839624974110_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=GrMKzaNNHeMQ7kNvgGPHtS2&_nc_oc=AdihFlYJCdK6FDTSQEYEeddADN4vI1Spt7Uno6MaGpBv6nKlvJJjJpwcTKiUjPcm4KQ&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AWcn-756aW0vSv65VBtWUZv&oh=00_AYAiw7NaZxbniZDrxrN_zVkCS9goHcOtVa7I81FdXY0eGA&oe=67C9B6B6	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Mac Deals Atl	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,721,666	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2721664}'	No	2025-03-02 00:33	active	2668	🔞🔥Click to Read more about📜Ex-Husband Got Crazy When I Disappear📜	💖🔞💋The day had finally arrived—Hayden Parker was coming back. His friends had all but dragged me, his so-called wife, to the welcome party. I could tell they were just waiting for the moment I would embarrass myself. Whispers of Hayden's newfound romance overseas had buzzed through the air, a reminder that he was likely returning to sever the last ties of our fraying marriage. "Do you think Hayden would go through with the divorce? Yvonne Jackson's grandpa practically forced him into this marriage," a voice sneered. "Ugh, just thinking about that spoiled, clueless Yvonne clinging to Hayden for all those years gave me chills," another chimed in. "I heard that on their wedding night, she stripped down and jumped into Hayden's bed, only to be kicked out. How humiliating!" the third scoffed. Their cruel laughter reverberated around the private room, each chuckle piercing my heart like a shard of glass. I clenched my fists, tears threatening to spill. Yeah, they were right. A decade of my life had been devoted to Hayden—I had poured out my youth and even sacrificed my family. Yet, in the end, I had become little more than a joke in the whole city of Elysiumville. For a moment, an invisible weight pressed down on my chest, tightening around my heart like a vice and making each breath feel laborious. "Yvonne, why are you just standing there?" A voice cut through, jolting me back to reality. I turned to find Nevin, Hayden's younger brother. He had always believed my marriage to Hayden was a catastrophic mistake and had made it his mission to make my life miserable the past year. "Hurry up and come in. Hayden's almost here, and the show's about to start," Nevin urged, and without waiting for my response, he swept into the private room, with a crowd moving in behind him like a relentless tide. Left with no choice, I steeled myself and stepped in after him, the uncertainty swirling within me like a storm. As I entered the room, the lively chatter fell abruptly silent. A few people managed to be polite, standing up to greet me with a friendly nod. I returned with a faint smile, walked over, and settled into a chair. Just then, a booming voice erupted from the entrance. "Hayden, you're finally here. The guys have been waiting." Instantly, my heart plummeted, a heavy stone sinking into my chest. "I got held up," came Hayden's deep voice, smooth and steady, just like I remembered. But then, a sweet, cheerful voice followed, completely catching me off guard. "It's totally my fault. I dozed off the whole way on the plane. But just as we landed, I felt hungry, and he stayed with me to grab a bite," the woman explained, her tone playful and joyful, laced with a hint of pride. A lump rose in my throat—so, this was Hayden's new girlfriend? He had actually brought her here. Suddenly, Nevin's earlier comment about "the good show" clicked into place. "Wow, looks like your new girlfriend is quite the priority, Hayden. We've all been waiting here starving," Nevin chuckled, his voice laced with playful sarcasm. His words cut deep, sending a sharp ache through my heart. Despite all the time I had spent with the Parker family, Nevin had never truly acknowledged me as Hayden's wife. The air was thick with suppressed giggles, and an odd tension settled over the room. Before Hayden could respond, the woman chimed in again, "Come on, Nevin, enough with the jokes. I hardly deserve to be called Hayden's girlfriend." Though her words seemed awkward, her tone told another story. "Nonsense," Nevin shot back, a playful smirk on his face. "Hayden mentioned you took care of him when he was out cold. How could you not be worthy?" Yet, his words barely registered in my mind because. At that moment, Hayden walked in. The crystal chandelier above cast a warm glow across his tall figure, illuminating him like an ethereal vision. He appeared a touch leaner, the angles of his jaw—already striking—were now even more pronounced. His brows bore a newfound intensity that made him the undeniable focal point of every gaze in the room. A black rosary bracelet dangled from his left wrist, dark and mysterious, catching the light with an alluring gleam. In that breathless instant, I felt unmoored. This was the man I had once pursued with relentless passion, the one I would have sacrificed anything for, even my very life, just to be by his side. Yet now, he appeared so distant and cold. The indifference he had maintained over the past year had long since dulled the once-bright love I had felt for him. Just then, Hayden's gaze found me across the room. We weren't too far apart, but the distance between us seemed to stretch like a chasm. There was an inscrutable depth behind his eyes, a flicker of something I couldn't quite decipher. As I tore my gaze away, my attention was drawn to the woman by his side. A wave of instinct nudged me to assess her, and I couldn't help but compare us. She was striking—vibrant eyes that sparkled with life, a radiant smile that could light up the dimmest room, and skin that seemed to glow with an ethereal perfection. No wonder even someone as composed and aloof as Hayden appeared captivated by her charm. With a sigh, I stole a glance at my reflection in the nearby window. My cheeks were pale; the toll of missed meals and sleepless nights had morphed me into a mere shadow of my former self. Honestly, if I were Hayden, I'd probably pick her too. "What are you doing here?" Hayden asked, his voice striking with an icy edge. The harshness of his words landed like a blow, snuffing out the last flicker of hope I had held onto for us. After all this time apart, here he was—flanked by another woman—and his first words weren't even a greeting or an explanation. Instead, he launched that indifferent question, tinged with annoyance, as if my presence were an inconvenience. I forced a brittle smile. "I came to welcome you. Nevin set it up." Hayden's eyebrows knit together slightly, and just as I had expected, he cast a frosty glare in Nevin's direction. Caught off guard, Nevin immediately recoiled, stammering, "I... I didn't think it would be like this." Actually, he had orchestrated the entire scene, eager to see me unravel. In the past, I had been fiercely possessive of Hayden—just a single glance from another woman in his direction would have sent me spiraling. Yet here I was, neither crying nor throwing a tantrum. Instead, I managed a calm smile and said to Hayden, "So, this lovely lady is your new flame?" A gasp rippled through the crowd, and I could sense their curiosity swirling—was there an epic showdown to erupt? Hayden's expression shifted, more intense than I had anticipated. Joanna Charlotte, the woman by his side, suddenly seemed nervous as she stammered, "Yvonne, please don't get the wrong idea. It's not what it appears to be between me and Mr. Parker. We..." Her faltering words only hinted at a deeper connection with Hayden, making the scene even more awkward. In another time, I might have charged at Joanna, tugging at her hair, and lashing out for being the other woman. But now, I simply pasted on a smile and said, "I'm not misunderstanding anything. I'm just relieved to know you're taking care of Hayden." Joanna's jaw tightened, and she retreated a step, seeking refuge behind Hayden's broad shoulders. Hayden's face darkened in an instant. "Have you said enough?" he questioned, his voice a low rumble filled with an unmistakable edge of warning. I already knew Hayden held no affection for me, and he probably resented me for pushing him into marriage. But as he defended someone else and unleash his harsh words upon me, the last remnants of my heart that I had desperately clung to shattered. A decade of unrequited admiration had culminated in nothing but his disdain. A deep sadness washed over me and my vision began to blur. I fought to hold back tears and kept my smile. "Looks I'm not welcome here. You guys can catch up. I'll just take my leave." With that, I turned and walked out of the room without daring to look back. As soon as I reached the stairs, my phone buzzed to life. It was Lucy Coffey, my best friend. "What? Hayden brought another woman back? What a jerk! You've loved him for so long, and just two months ago, when he was in a coma from that accident, you even went abroad to care for him. "Does he have any conscience at all?" Lucy's voice crackled with disbelief and anger on the other end. "Lucy..." I started, but the words faltered, choking in my throat. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't suppress the wave of sadness that washed over me. Lucy picked up on it right away. "Okay, Yvonne, don't cry. Just divorce him. You deserve so much more! There are plenty of younger guys out there, and I hear a freshman has his eye on you." "I can't even think about that right now," I sighed, pressing my fingers against my temples as if to will away the mounting emotions. I had pleaded with my grandfather to allow this marriage for three days. I had believed it was something to cherish, always prioritizing Hayden's happiness above my own. But now, I found myself wishing for nothing more than for him to ask for a divorce. "I feel so sorry for you, Yvonne" Lucy sighed. "Well, since you're free for the evening, how about we grab a drink together?" A drink sounded like exactly what I needed—a little liquid courage to drown my sorrows. But halfway, Xander, Hayden's grandfather, called me back. As I entered Xander's study, I was surprised to find Hayden there as well. A tangle of confusion tightened in my gut—wasn't he supposed to be with his new flame at this moment? .............................................................................. "Yvonne, you're here." Xander's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts, grounding me in the moment. I nodded, offering a smile. In the Parker family, Xander was the only one who had ever treated me with kindness. But why would he suddenly call me and Hayden back? Moreover, just moments ago, Hayden had been at the welcoming party—how had he arrived here before me? Before I could untangle my thoughts any further, Xander continued, "You've been away for too long. Time to get back to reality. Yvonne is a good girl, and you need to treat her with the respect she deserves." His words were clearly directed at Hayden. I stayed quiet to the side, my gaze dropping to the floor. After a moment, I heard Hayden respond in a flat tone, "Yes, Grandpa." Hayden always seemed to go along with Xander's commands. Even when Xander had insisted that Hayden marry me, he had been calm like this. But just a day after our wedding, he left for another country and hadn't returned until now. Frustration bubbled inside me, and I bit my lip, wanting to say something. Just then, Xander spoke up, "Yvonne, I've been craving those pastas you whip up. How about you show me your culinary magic tomorrow morning? It's getting late, so I'll have Luke get a room ready for you and Hayden. You two should catch some shut-eye." I paused—was he expecting Hayden and me to stay over? Despite all the protests in my mind, I took a deep breath and managed to reply, "Okay, Xander." Just as I stepped out of the study, the chill in Xander's voice cut through the air behind me. "So, how much longer are you going to keep that woman around?" It seemed Xander knew about Joanna. I sighed softly, realizing he was probably trying to set me up with Hayden. But honestly, Hayden didn't matter to me anymore. As the door clicked shut, the butler, Luke Mosley, approached me. "Mrs. Parker, it's been long since your grandfather and mother passed away. You've lost quite a bit of weight. You really should take better care of yourself." "Thanks for your concern," I murmured, nodding slowly as my gaze fell to the floor. But once I was alone upstairs and stepped into my room, the floodgates opened. Tears streamed down my cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of my sorrow. Two months ago, I had gone abroad to care for Hayden, who had slipped into a coma after an accident. In my absence, I missed my mother's final moments, and upon my return, all that awaited me was a cold grave. In less than a month, my father remarried. Sophia moved in, bringing her son, Quinn Walton, into my home which now felt foreign and unwelcoming. As the days passed, the truth began to claw its way to the surface, and I discovered my father had long been having an affair with Sophia. But I had been so obsessed with Hayden that I hadn't even noticed the declining in my mom's mood. In what felt like the blink of an eye, my once-happy home had splintered, and only then did I realize that in loving Hayden, I had lost everything precious in my life. And what of him? Instead of showing me compassion, he paraded his new romance in front of everyone, leaving me feeling utterly humiliated and discarded. How foolish I had been—sacrificing love, family, and even my own happiness for a man who showed me so little loyalty in return for over ten years. But now, as the dust settled around me, I knew it was time to reclaim my life. *** Hayden returned half an hour later. His eyes, cold as ice, scanned me up and down, not a hint of warmth in them. "It's only been a year, and you've managed to win over Grandpa. You've really got some tricks up your sleeve." I frowned slightly, sensing the underlying accusation that I had confided in Xander about Joanna. Did he think so little of me? Anyway, it didn't matter anymore. I forced a smile and shot back, "When are you planning to divorce me?" Surprise flashed across his face, but it was quickly overshadowed by the deepening darkness in his sunken eyes. "Yvonne, what's the angle here? What game are you running?" Bitterness churned in my heart. I had once clung to him with desperate fervor, employing every tactic I could fathom to make him mine. Naturally, he would suspect that I had ulterior motives for wanting a divorce now. "Don't you hate me?" I asked, my voice calm. "You have another woman now, so it's only fair that I step aside." My gaze met his with a newfound clarity, stripped of its former love, revealing instead a vast ocean of sorrow. He seemed to sense the change in me and looked at me with disgust. "Step aside? By going crying to Grandpa while talking about divorce? I don't have time for your foolish games. Just stay where you belong, and the Parker family will take care of you for life." With that, Hayden turned and headed to the bathroom. I stood there, dazed, until the sound of water rushing from the tap broke the silence. A deep sigh escaped my lips—take care of me for a lifetime? Right, back then, I had married into the Parker family with the Jackson family business backing me. Xander had said I would always be his granddaughter-in-law. It seemed that I'd first have to earn Xander's approval, before divorcing Hayden. So, for tonight, I'd have to make do here. I grabbed a blanket, and curled up on the couch. When Hayden came out, I played possum, pretending to be fast asleep. In the darkness, I heard his footsteps linger for what felt like forever. He probably couldn't believe that I, who once shamelessly climbed into his bed, was now the one giving him the cold shoulder. The next morning, I awoke hazily, surprised to find myself in bed. I quickly glanced around... Thank God, Hayden wasn't there. Otherwise, I could just picture him giving me a hard time for trying to sneak into his bed. With a flicker of melancholy, I rose and headed downstairs to whip up breakfast for Xander before heading out. My dad had called, asking me to come home later in the afternoon. As I approached the grand front door of the Jackson residence, I unexpectedly crossed paths with Sophia and Quinn. Quinn was tall and well-built, carrying his backpack over one shoulder like he didn't have a care in the world. I'd heard he was in college, a bit of a loner, not really into the whole social scene. Our eyes met briefly, but we didn't say a word. Suddenly, a soft hum of an engine broke the stillness, and a familiar car pulled up beside me. It was a rare Rolls-Royce, and when I caught a glimpse of the license plate, my heart sank—was that Hayden's car? Before I could think it through, the car door swung open, and Joanna stepped out, followed closely by Hayden. The moment our eyes locked across the distance, surprise flickered in their expressions. "Joanna, what brings you back?" Quinn, who'd been silent until then, hurried over to her side. My heart skipped a beat. Quinn knew Joanna? What was their relationship? "I came to see you," Joanna said softly, her eyes flicking from Quinn to me. "Didn't expect to run into you here, Ms. Jackson." "This is my home," I replied, meeting her gaze with a cool defiance. Quinn leaned closer to Joanna and whispered, "Mom married Yvonne's dad, Phillip." As the day unfolded, I discovered that Joanna and Quinn were half-siblings, both sharing Sophia as their mother. What a twist of fate—Joanna had taken my husband's heart, and her mother had done the same to my mom's. Just then, I felt a heavy gaze boring into me. I pivoted to find Hayden's piercing eyes locked onto mine. I was confused. I was the one who'd caught him and Joanna together, yet why did he look so angry? Did he think I spoiled his night? What a piece of work. "You remember this is the Jackson residence, right?" I challenged, a hint of defiance in my tone. He probably indeed hadn't a clue—after all, despite our marriage, he'd never once stepped foot here. Then again, he never cared about me or my life. Hayden frowned, his expression heavy. But before he could respond, Joanna jumped in to his rescue. "I was eager to see my brother, and Mr. Parker kindly offered me a ride." "Is this your boyfriend?" Quinn piped up, cutting through the moment. Joanna's face turned to stone, and suddenly, the air grew thick with tension. .............................................................................. Instinctively, my eyes flicked to Hayden, and I wondered if he would snap back at Quinn. Or he had completely forgotten he was still wearing a wedding band? Joanna quickly stepped in to clarify, her voice tinged with a subtle edge of frustration, "Quinn, don't talk nonsense. This is Ms. Jackson's husband." Quinn's face went blank, his eyes wide with shock as he turned to look at me. I ignored him and replied coolly, "Not for long." Joanna's eyes bulged, her surprise evident. Hayden must have felt the shift in me. His eyes held a piercing scrutiny as they bore into mine. "Yvonne Jackson," he intoned, his voice a deep rumble, almost a warning. Back in the day, his anger would have sent shivers down my spine. But now? I just smirked. "I'll draft the divorce agreement tonight, and you can let your girlfriend take my place." With that, I turned and strode through the gates, not giving a second glance to Hayden's reaction. Though it had been summer for a while, a biting chill rode the wind, stinging my skin. I raised a hand to touch my cheek and realized it was damp. Stepping into the living room, I found Yosef was engaged in conversation with Sophia, whose gaze was full of hostility the moment it fell on me. Sophia was a striking beauty with high cheekbones and deep-set eyes. She favored bold makeup that sometimes bordered on garish, yet her vivid hues seemed to captivate my father's attention. I simply greeted them and followed Yosef into his study. "What? You want a divorce?" Yosef gaped at me, his expression a mix of disbelief and horror, as if I'd suggested something utterly preposterous. He continued, "Have you forgotten that our family's fortune is tied to the Parkers? If you split from Hayden, what are we supposed to do? "And don't forget how you pleaded with your grandfather to marry him in the first place. You made a fool of us all, and now you're talking about ending it?" His words felt like a sharp knife, slicing through the tender wounds on my heart, leaving me feeling as if my very lifeblood was draining away. "I made a mistake, and now I'm trying to correct it. Trust me. Once Hayden and I part ways, he'll end up with Joanna, and your wealth and status will remain intact," I said, my voice steady. "Joanna? How could she and Hayden..." Yosef paused, his voice trailing off. Suddenly, a realization hit him, and his eyes widened in disbelief. "They..." I looked up at him. "Shouldn't you be the one to know? Remember how Sophia took you away from my mom?" It was like I'd hit a raw nerve. Yosef's face clouded over, and he snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting? Sophia and I were just friends—nothing more!" "Oh, really?" I scoffed. "You remarried less than a month after my mom passed away. Quite the swift rebound, don't you think?" "Don't you dare!" Yosef's hand shot up as if to strike me. But after a long, tense moment, he hesitated, his hand suspended in mid-air. "From now on, you don't need to reach out. I won't disturb your family anymore," I stated firmly, drawing a clear line in the sand. He seemed shocked by my resolve. "You're not coming back? You mentioned divorce, but where else can you go?" I didn't say a word. Instead, I turned and walked straight out of the study. The world was vast—surely, I could carve out a spot for myself. As I descended the stairs, Sophia and Quinn had vanished, and Hayden was conspicuously absent—perhaps he never even stepped inside. The only person I encountered was Joanna. Truth be told, I'd never had a one-on-one conversation with her before. "I didn't expect your father to be Yosef," Joanna said first, her tone stripped of the deference she showed around Hayden, now tinged with a subtle scorn. "Same with me, considering your mother is Sophia," I replied nonchalantly, and with that, I turned to leave. Joanna stepped in front of me, blocking my way. "Don't you have anything to say to me?" I met her challenge head-on. "What would you like to hear? Should I beg you to leave Hayden and spare my marriage?" For a moment, Joanna seemed taken aback. "Or perhaps you'd prefer if I threw a punch as Hayden's lawful wife?" I added, a smirk playing on my lips. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You want to hit me?" "Nah, that'd mess up my hands," I dismissed with a casual shake of my head. "You!" Joanna spat, her jaw tight as she glared at me as if she wanted to swallow me whole. "Hayden doesn't love you at all. He married you because of his grandfather." "I know," I replied, unfazed. "Are you trying to say his true love is you? Well, I wish you both a long and happy life together, with a house full of kids." Joanna looked shocked, probably because she had never met a wife like me before—I wished the other woman good luck in starting a family with my husband. Just then, Sophia sauntered over, her hips swaying. She cast me a sidelong glance and let out a mocking sneer, "Joanna's definitely expecting soon—unlike someone who's been married for a year and still doesn't have any news." Joanna's spirits lifted. "Mom, I heard Hayden hasn't even laid a hand on her." In an instant, the mother-daughter duo erupted into peals of laughter. My jaw clenched tight. I couldn't believe Hayden had shared that with her. Was he trying to show some twisted sense of loyalty? That jerk! What had I ever seen in him in the first place? Taking a deep breath, I turned to Sophia and asked, "So, you married my dad only after you got pregnant with his kid?" Sophia's smile broadened as she gently caressed her belly. "Or what else would make your dad so eager to marry me? Your mom couldn't even give him a son, so why keep her around?" I narrowed my eyes, the truth starting to sink in. No wander Yosef had been so eager to marry Sophia. They must have been entangling for a while. Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I scrutinized her. "How can you be so sure it's a boy? What if it's a girl?" "Shut up! I'm definitely having a boy!" Sophia yelled, her gaze sharp as daggers. I forced a sad smile. She acted all high and mighty, but she saw herself as nothing more than a baby-making machine. Shaking my head, I turned to leave. Sophia trembled with rage. "That little brat! Just like her mother—so annoying! Joanna, how are things going with Hayden? Hurry up and get pregnant." She believed as long as Joanna had a child, Hayden would definitely divorce Yvonne. After all, Sophia had wormed her way into the Jackson family so fast just because of that little bun in her oven. "Mom..." Joanna's voice faltered, her face clouding with uncertainty. "Hayden's always got that rosary bracelet on. Everyone knows he's abstinent. I..." Sophia couldn't tolerate Joanna's timidity. She raised her voice abruptly. "What's got you so scared? I've pulled strings to send you overseas to get close to Hayden, and you're almost there. Stay focused. With your looks, he won't stand a chance." Joanna's eyes flickered with anxiety, but she didn't dare to argue. "But Mom, what once woke Hayden from his coma was a piano piece, and he's asked me about it. The problem is, I can't play the piano at all." "Then go learn!" Sophia interrupted sharply. "Don't even think about bringing this up again. The one who revived Hayden must be you." *** As twilight descended, I made a brief stop at the law office before heading home. After a discussion with my lawyer about the divorce details, I drafted the agreement. They were just a few flimsy papers, yet they weighed on me like a ton of bricks. .............................................................................. For the past ten years, I'd been madly in love with Hayden. I never imagined that I'd have to end this relationship now. When I got home, I saw Hayden's car parked in the driveway—he was back? It had been a whole year, and I'd hoped every day for his return, only to be let down time and again. But now that he was actually here, I wasn't feeling the joy I thought I would. Instead, I felt an even heavier load on my shoulders. As I walked into the living room, I found Hayden sitting on the sofa. He had his phone in his right hand and seemed to be talking to someone. A half-smoked cigarette burned between his left index and middle fingers, the smoke curling up and clouding his strikingly handsome face. The rosary bracelet on his wrist stood out against the haze. "Yeah, I see. You should get some rest, too. I'll pick you up in the morning," Hayden said, his voice gentle. Instantly, it struck me that he was probably talking to Joanna. A sharp pain shot through my chest—he had never spoken to me with that kind of tenderness. Just then, Hayden ended the call and gave me a frosty stare. "If you have an issue, come to me. Don't bother Joanna." For a moment, I almost couldn't catch my breath, as if my heart was breaking. But instead of tears, a bitter laugh slipped out. "When have I ever given her any trouble?" "She's had a hard life with her mother and brother. Just when things were finally looking up for her, you had to mock her?" Hayden glared at me like I was a scum of the earth. I choked back tears and tightened my grip on the divorce agreement. "You pity her for her hardships, but what does that have to do with me?" I shot back, my voice trembling before I even realized it. Who could grasp the struggles my mom and I went through? Thanks to Sophia, our picture-perfect home had been shattered into pieces. My mother jumped to her death on that cold, dark night, and I couldn't even fathom the despair she must have felt. Now, my husband was about to be taken from me too. Didn't our pain mean anything compared to Joanna's? I didn't expect Hayden to say anything. I stepped forward and placed the documents in front of him. "Sign it. From now on, you can care for her however you want." Hayden's expression darkened, and the air around us thickened. It felt like a heavy weight pressing on me, making it hard to breathe. "Yvonne Jackson, what exactly do you want?" His voice was low but laced with threat. I took a breath and smiled, trying to stay calm. "Isn't this what you've always wanted? Hayden, let's get a divorce. I'll give you your freedom." I thought he'd agree and scribble his name on the agreement right away. But he didn't even look at it. Instead, he tore it into pieces. And suddenly, he stood up and stepped toward me, his tall figure casting a dark shadow over me. "This marriage isn't a playground where you can just do as you please, Yvonne. What do you take me for?" Hayden's voice boomed with fury, his eyes boring into me as if they could set me ablaze. I wasn't scared, not even a bit. If anything, I felt like laughing. "And what do you take me for? You bolted overseas right after we got married, and now you come back with another woman. Are you even aware that you're cheating with Joanna?" Mentioning Joanna seemed to hit a nerve. Hayden's gaze faltered for a moment before he replied, "Grandpa won't agree." "I'll talk to him about it," I said coldly, addressing his concerns. "Have you lost your mind?" Hayden frowned. "Probably," I murmured, pasting on a weak smile and casting my gaze downward. No one was privy to the hell I'd been through over the past year. I lost my cherished grandpa and my mom, one after the other. I used to be surrounded by so much love, but all of that vanished after I married Hayden. I lost my family, and even though I had a marriage certificate with Hayden, I had never really felt like I belonged in his life. I had been even the butt of jokes in Elysiumville. On countless cold, dark nights, I'd asked myself why I loved Hayden so deeply. Now, I woke up to the truth—he wasn't worth my love at all, and I had to end this marriage. Hayden stared at me, his deep eyes devoid of emotion. After a long, heavy silence, he turned and walked away without saying another word. I looked down at the torn divorce agreement scattered on the floor. It wasn't until my legs ached that I let out a soft sigh and made my way back upstairs. In the mirror, I saw a woman with tear-streaked eyes and a pale face, looking so hurt and sorrowful. Ten years of love, reduced to just a few sheets of paper... How pathetic. The next morning, I woke up with eyes so puffy they were almost sealed shut. I quickly iced them to reduce the swelling and put on some light makeup before heading to the Parker residence. As soon as I saw Xander, I laid out my intention straight away. His expression turned serious, his brows knitting together. After a long silence, he sighed, "Yvonne, I can see you're hurting. Hayden really messed up. But you've barely been married. Divorcing now would be such a pity." "I made a mistake, and I don't want to keep repeating it," I said, my teeth clenched just a bit. Sometimes, it took real guts to right the wrongs of the past. Xander stayed quiet for what felt like forever, his gaze on me distant, as if he were seeing someone else through me. "Phillip and I had a life-or-death friendship, and he entrusted you to me. I was supposed to take care of you. But now..." He sighed deeply, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. In Elysiumville, everyone knew about the unbreakable bond between Xander and Phillip. I lowered my gaze, trying to push the past aside. "Xander, for my late grandpa's sake, please support my request." Xander sighed again, knowing he couldn't argue further. Wearily, he rubbed his eyes. "For what Hayden did, the Parker family owes you an apology. But divorcing just like this is really a pity. "You and Hayden haven't spent much time together since the wedding, right? How about you join the company and work alongside Hayden. Give it three months, and if you still want a divorce after that, I won't stand in your way." "Work at the company?" I asked, taken aback. "Yeah. Phillip has left you some shares, so consider this carefully," Xander added. Suddenly, it clicked. One reason Hayden had to marry me was because the Jackson family shared crucial tech from their electronics business with the Parkers. If I divorced Hayden, the assets would definitely be on the line—Xander was trying to keep me in the picture. But I'd already waited a whole year, so what were three more months? "Okay," I nodded. Anyway, in just three months, I'd be able to cut all ties with Hayden. Before I left, I went back to my room to grab the clothes I had worn two days ago. In the hallway, I bumped into a servant. "Mrs. Parker, are you staying for lunch?" she asked. "No," I shook my head. "I've misplaced one of my hairpins. Any idea where it might be?" "It could be in the guest room," she replied, her hand over her mouth as she chuckled. "You dozed off there the other night, and then Mr. Hayden Parker carried you back to your room." I stood frozen—Hayden carried me? .............................................................................. Hayden despised me. There was no way he would have carried me. Plus, I had no recollection of even going to the guest room last night. I thought it through and asked skeptically, "Are you sure? I remember falling asleep on the cou—" Suddenly, I caught myself and quickly stopped. If others found out that Hayden and I were sleeping separately, who knew what kind of gossip would start? The servant looked a bit confused but spoke confidently, "I was on duty that night, and I saw you go to the guest room at midnight. Later, Mr. Hayden Parker came to carry you back. Maybe you should check the guest room for your hairpin?" As soon as she finished, I hurried to the guest room and spotted my hairpin on the nightstand. So, maybe I sleepwalked last night, and then Hayden carried me back? No, that seemed way too unlikely. With my mind racing, I made my way downstairs, only to run into Nevin out of the blue. "I heard you're thinking about divorcing Hayden? That's quite bold of you to think you can make threats," he sneered, his eyes dripping with disdain and sarcasm. "It's none of your business," I retorted, trying to sidestep him, having no intention of engaging in this conversation. Nevin blocked my way. "Are you just playing hard to get again? With your lack of life skills, once you're divorced, do you think you can survive without Hayden's money?" "Why wouldn't I be able to make it on my own?" I frowned, irritated. Did he think divorced women have to wait around to fade away? What century did he think this was? "Oh? Besides bothering Hayden, have you ever accomplished anything meaningful?" Nevin rested his chin on his hand, pretending to think deeply. My heart clenched. For the past ten years, my life had revolved around Hayden, and everything I had done was about him. But now, he meant nothing to me, and so did the Parker family. I glared at Nevin, the memories of the humiliation he'd inflicted over the past year fresh in my mind. Anger welled up inside me, and I bit out, "I haven't divorced Hayden yet. You'd better show me some respect." Nevin froze, his eyes widening in disbelief before he burst into laughter. "What? You want respect? Do you even deserve it?" "If you're unsure, you can ask Xander," I said, holding his gaze without flinching, mirroring his scorn. "And by the way, you put someone in the hospital six months ago, and I helped you out. You haven't even thanked me." "You!" Nevin gritted his teeth, thrown by my unexpected reminder of old times. He bellowed, "I never asked for your help. You just butt into my affairs." "Really? I bet the guy who got beaten up still holds a grudge against you. Should I go talk to him?" I retorted, my tone as icy as winter. Nevin's expression changed completely. "I don't believe you would actually go to him. You..." Before he could finish, I turned on my heel and walked away. "Yvonne, are you insane? How dare you talk to me like that?" Nevin's glare pierced the air, his voice booming. Yet, his words only echoed into the silence of the empty living room. Seething, Nevin stormed into the company to find Hayden. "You think something's up with Yvonne? She's acting like a whole new person." Hayden was hunched over his desk, swamped with paperwork, scribbling signatures on documents. Without lifting his gaze, he queried, "Why'd you go to her?" "I ran into her at the Parker residence," Nevin explained, slowing down as he continued, "I heard she went to see Grandpa, probably about divorcing you." His eyes were locked on Hayden, eager to catch every detail. Hayden's hand, holding the Montblanc pen, froze. "What did Grandpa say?" he asked calmly, his lips barely parting. Nevin was about to reply when a burst of laughter rang out from beyond the door. "Is Yvonne planning to divorce you, Hayden? Didn't see that coming. You getting dumped is a new one." Hayden looked up casually, his charming eyes flicking toward the door as a cold glint crossed his face. The newcomer strolled in, at ease in a white casual suit and sporting a sly grin. "Yasir? Long time no see!" Nevin recognized him and jumped to his feet, his excitement palpable. Yasir Gibson was an old buddy of Hayden's, but they were like night and day. Yasir was all about eating, drinking, and having a good time, which made him a breeze to hang out with for Nevin. "You little troublemaker, I heard you invited Yvonne to the welcome party? Tsk, you are really bad. You knew Hayden had brought back his side piece—" "Yasir Gibson," Hayden interrupted, his tone laced with a clear warning. Yasir quickly got serious, rubbing his nose awkwardly. "Sorry, just a slip. But what about Joanna? What's your relationship with her?" He wasn't really aware of Hayden's business overseas. He'd only heard about the welcome party after the fact, unable to make it because of other obligations. After days of curiosity, he'd finally decided to stop by. "What do you think?" Hayden replied coldly, his tone icy. Yasir almost shivered at the frost in Hayden's words, his gaze flicking to the rosary bracelet on Hayden's wrist. "You've always steered clear of women, and even after getting hitched, you kept your distance from your wife. So, hearing that there's a woman in your life now—it's like a twist out of a fairy tale," he explained. In high society, it was rare to find someone without a taste for indulgence. If anyone else had an affair after marriage, it would seem normal. However, Hayden was renowned for his asceticism and was widely believed to be disinterested in women. As Yasir anxiously awaited Hayden's response, Hayden suddenly asked, "Who said I don't even touch my wife?" Yasir and Nevin gaped at each other, their looks exchanging a shared disbelief at Hayden's words. Finally, Nevin stammered, "Everyone in town knows you kicked Yvonne out of the room on your wedding night. You've never given a damn about her. How could you be interested in her now?" Hayden's handsome features darkened, his voice edged with a menacing tone. "How would outsiders know about my personal affairs? Did you spread it?" "I..." Nevin froze, feeling the air freeze in his lungs as he thought, 'Why is Hayden so furious?' The reason was plain as day. Hayden's usually serene eyes were now ablaze with fury. "If I catch wind of such rumors again, you'll be out of the Parker family." "I understand. " Nevin shuddered, beads of cold sweat dotting his forehead. "Get out!" Hayden barked, his irritation palpable. He might not have cared for Yvonne, but this was a family matter—it wasn't decent to air it out. Nevin was so frightened that he quickly slipped away. Yasir let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, poor Yvonne. She's been so devoted to you. Since you left a year ago, who knows how many cold stares she's had to deal with?" "What do you mean?" Hayden frowned, a hint of confusion crossing his face.	LEARN_MORE	https://www.yumread.com/share/middle/lyv4x2xbadzvt	OasisFun	https://www.facebook.com/100091233910499/	530	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	www.yumread.com	VIDEO		https://www.yumread.com/share/middle/lyv4x2xbadzvticcbd5xnw33?ad_id={{ad.id}}&sid=120216446919120265&campaign={{campaign.name}}&adgroup={{adset.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481056875_972758611135933_3721925618507802344_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=4J2uAjIIZGwQ7kNvgGJML8M&_nc_oc=AdjOgTNmzNXcrMcgs9qeSHGni3k5O1-YcEiDpb7v7OL-WQPhjU3soQB9bJe4KdT5l3o&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Acg6u_iJ-C-SJ1zRpniKJJm&oh=00_AYAvxjAC0_8POg8KNxR8hThG-bxpO1XxWpRxefN_IcFXYg&oe=67C9B138	PERSON_PROFILE	0	OasisFun	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,725,099	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2724444}'	Yes	2025-03-02 01:30	active	2671	❤️😍O que acontece a seguir👉Clique aqui para continuar lendo👉	Cheguei em casa depois de um dia puxado e meus pais estavam me esperando na sala. - Catarina, senta aí que precisamos conversar. – Meu pai falou e parecia bem nervoso. - Pode falar, pai, o que aconteceu? – Perguntei ao meu pai cansado, eu tinha trabalhado o dia todo, ido pra faculdade à noite e, ao chegar em casa, a única coisa que eu queria era tomar um banho e cair na cama. Mas não foi possível. - Catarina, chegou o convite de casamento da sua prima. – Minha mãe falou. - Aquela mulherzinha não é minha prima! – Falei já ficando nervosa. - Catarina, ela é a sua prima. – Minha mãe falou. – É melhor você parar com esse ataque de infantilidade. A Melissa já bateu nela e fez um escândalo aqui em casa. Agora chega! Ela é filha da minha irmã, portanto é sua prima. - Me desculpa, mãe, mas ela não é nada pra mim. – Tentei manter a calma. – Ela ficou com o meu namorado na minha cama, isso não é coisa que se faça. Eu namorava o Cláudio há quatro anos, ele foi meu primeiro namorado, e o encontrei na minha cama, no meu quarto, transando com a Kelly, minha prima! Eu fiquei em choque. Claro que a Melissa, minha melhor amiga, partiu pra cima deles. Desde então as coisas ficaram tensas em minha casa, pois meus pais insistiam que era uma bobagem e que eu deveria agir como se nada tivesse acontecido e voltasse a conviver com a minha prima. - Errado foi ele, Catarina, que era seu namorado. – Minha mãe argumentou. – A Kelly, coitada, foi seduzida, ele a desonrou, agora vai se casar com ela pra ela não ficar mal falada na cidade. - Ah, mãe! Me poupe e se poupe! A cidade inteira sabe que a Kelly é uma vadia... – Perdi a paciência. - Catarina, olha o vocabulário! – Meu pai chamou a minha atenção. – Olha aqui, se você não quer conviver com a Kelly tudo bem, mas você vai a esse casamento. E chega desse comportamento grosseiro. - Eu o quê? – Achei que eu tinha ouvido errado. - Você vai ao casamento da sua prima, Catarina. Isso é uma ordem! Nós somos os seus pais e você vai obedecer. – Minha mãe falava brava comigo, como se eu fosse a errada nessa situação. - Sinto muito, mãe, mas eu não vou! Eu sigo as regras de vocês, eu sou uma boa filha, mas dessa vez não vai dar. Eu fui a ofendida! Eu tenho todo o direito de não querer ser a piada da família mais. – Falei já chorando. - CHEGA, CATARINA! – Meu pai gritou e me assustou. – Você vai a esse casamento e ponto final. - Mas, pai... - Não quero saber, Catarina! É importante pra sua mãe manter a paz na família. Então você vai e pronto. – Meu pai falou não dando margem para questionamentos. Fui para o meu quarto e passei a noite chorando. No dia seguinte contei tudo para a Melissa, que não perdeu tempo, arrumou os convites para um baile de máscaras, evento de gala, falando para os meus pais que seria importantíssimo para a minha carreira, já que os empresários mais importantes da cidade estariam lá, eu faria contatos muito importantes e nossos professores haviam prometido nos apresentar a vários empresários que abririam portas para o nosso futuro profissional. Em princípio meus pais não estavam muito convencidos, mas os pais da Melissa conversaram com eles e os convenceram de que seria uma excelente oportunidade para o meu futuro. Então eles concordaram que eu deveria aproveitar a oportunidade. - Catarina, você não pode me dizer não! Já comprei os convites, as máscaras e já até convenci seus pais de que é um evento importantíssimo para o seu futuro profissional, o que me deu um trabalhão. Essa festa vai ser incrível e você não vai perder! – Melissa, falava e me olhava com os olhos de um cachorrinho abandonado, juntando as mãos como se suplicando. Eu estava sentada em minha mesa no trabalho, no meio da tarde de uma quinta feira, entre anotar recados e fazer ligações, e a Mel apareceu com café, bolinhos de chocolate e essa insistência para eu aceitar ir no baile de máscaras que acontecia anualmente e era o maior evento em nossa cidade. - Ai, Mel, como é que pode eu não conseguir dizer não pra você? Está bem, eu vou! Eu concordei em ir ao baile, mas eu ainda não tinha certeza. De qualquer forma eu iria dormir na casa da Mel para fugir do casamento, mas não iria à festa, contudo, Melissa tanto fez que me convenceu a ir pra festa. No sábado nos arrumamos na casa dela. - Quê isso, hein, amiga! Tá gata demais! – Ela me entregou uma máscara dourada, linda, toda trabalhada como se fosse uma renda, que cobria até o nariz e eu a coloquei. Eu usava um vestido de cetim vermelho brilhante e a máscara combinou perfeitamente. – Então, estamos prontas? - Sim estamos prontas. – Respondi e peguei minha bolsa. – Ih, esqueci meu perfume. - Não, tem problema, você vai usar o perfume novo da minha mãe. Ela não se importa. Quando o Fernando, namorado da Mel, nos viu sorriu, deu um beijo na Mel e disse: - Garotas, vocês estão lindíssimas! Acho que você vai sair dessa festa com um namorado novo, Cat. - Sem namorado, Nando. Na verdade, eu acho que é melhor eu ficar, eu não estou no clima pra festa. Por favor, Mel, deixa eu ficar? CAPÍTULO 2: O grande baile, a tequila, os cosmopolitans e o estranho irresistível Não teve jeito, minha amiga me arrastou para o baile. Logo que entramos a Mel nos arrastou para o bar e falou no meu ouvido: - A festa é open bar, então hoje você vai beber para afogar de vez a tristeza! –A Mel me entregou dois shots de tequila e com mais dois em suas mãos me falou: - Vamos virar! – viramos a tequila e o Fernando já entregava uma taça de cosmopolitan para cada uma. Melissa me arrastou para a pista de dança e até que eu estava me divertindo. Começou uma música lenta e o Nando e a Mel começaram a dançar agarradinhos, aproveitei a deixa e me encaminhei para o buffet, mas não consegui chegar, senti uma mão puxando a minha e quando olhei para trás havia um homem com uma máscara preta sorrindo pra mim, e que sorriso! Ele beijou minha mão e me puxou para perto dizendo no meu ouvido com uma voz rouca: - A mulher mais linda do salão não vai me negar uma dança, vai? - E por que não? Vamos dançar. – Sorri pra ele. Era impossível resistir aquela voz rouca sedutora e aquele sorriso lindo meio de lado! Ele era alto, ombros largos, um sorriso encantador e olhos azuis, tão azuis que eram quase violeta. Ele tinha uma boca que convidava ao pecado, cabelos castanhos, e quando me puxou pela cintura eu apoiei as mãos em seu corpo e percebi que ele era uma parede de músculos bem definidos. Embora a máscara não permitisse ver seu rosto, ele era muito charmoso e encantador. - Eu estava observando você desde que chegou. – Aquele homem, com ar misterioso, falou no meu ouvido. – Você é tão linda! - Você é gentil. Mas você não é da cidade, é? – Ele tinha uma presença forte, emanava poder. - Não. Um amigo me convenceu a vir a essa festa. - Parece que temos algo em comum, meus amigos também me convenceram a vir. - Sorte minha! - E por que? – Sorri. - Porque eu fiquei fascinado quando te vi. Você é muito linda. – Enquanto ele falava no meu ouvido eu ia me arrepiando, sentindo meu rosto esquentar e o corpo formigar, ele realmente me encantou. - Mesmo com a máscara? - Mesmo com a máscara! Você é linda demais. - Você é um sedutor. - Você me acha sedutor? - Você sabe que é. E lindo também. - Que bom que você gosta do que vê. – Eu me senti um pouco zonza, não sei se pela bebida ou pelo perfume delicioso que aquele homem usava. Acabei tropeçando nos meus próprios pés. - Você está bem? - Acho que preciso de um pouco de ar. - Vem comigo. - Ele me puxou para um corredor sem iluminação que dava para uma saída de emergência e ficou assoprando o meu rosto. – Eu quero muito te beijar. Posso? – Eu fiz que sim com a cabeça. Ele olhou nos meus olhos, segurou a minha nuca e nossos lábios se encontraram, começou lento, mas foi se aprofundando, ele me encostou na parede e o beijo se intensificou ainda mais, quase nos roubando o fôlego, quando ele interrompeu o beijo para respirarmos, nos olhamos nos olhos, foi como jogar gasolina no fogo, ele passou a mão pela minha cintura, desceu até minha coxa e puxou minha perna para sua cintura. Eu já estava completamente entregue nesse momento, sentindo seu corpo contra o meu, eu fiquei louca de tesão e o puxei para mais perto envolvendo sua cintura com minha perna. - Você beija bem! – Sorri pra ele e senti meu corpo todo se arrepiar. – Ah, linda, você é incrível, eu quero muito você, aqui, agora! – ele disse entre beijos e enfiou a mão sob o meu vestido o puxando pra cima e chegando a minha calcinha. Eu estava em chamas quando ele enfiou a mão dentro da minha calcinha e gemeu. – Ah! Que delícia! Tão quente, tão molhadinha! – Disse e me beijou com mais força, enquanto abria o zíper da sua calça. Com um movimento rápido, de quem já tinha feito aquilo antes, ele rasgou minha calcinha e acariciou minha entrada, como se pedisse permissão. Olhou nos meus olhos de novo e me perguntou: - O que você quer que eu faça? - Eu quero que você esteja dentro de mim agora! – Respondi sem nenhum pudor, eu já estava arfando de tanto tesão. Eu não resisti aqueles olhos e aquela voz rouca. Eu nunca fui assim, normalmente eu teria me desvencilhado dele no momento em que me puxou pela mão, mas aquela noite eu havia prometido a mim mesma que iria me divertir e se aparecesse alguém interessante eu viveria o momento. E era o que eu estava fazendo, vivendo aquele momento. Ao me ouvir, ele foi entrando em mim devagar, observando eu encostar minha cabeça na parede e aproveitar cada centímetro dele, e ele era enorme. Ele aproveitou para espalhar beijos pelo meu pescoço. Quando acabou de entrar ele parou e falou entre beijos no meu ouvido: - Agora eu vou me mexer. – E começou a sair, só pra entrar de novo com toda força dessa vez, e foi uma delícia, eu estava completamente entregue e enlouquecida com os movimentos dele que entrava e saia de mim freneticamente. Nos descontrolamos e nos entregamos totalmente, como se não tivesse nada ao nosso redor, eu senti uma névoa em meus olhos e o climax começando a se formar e gemi baixinho no ouvido dele, nesse momento parece que ele enlouqueceu, puxou minha outra perna para sua cintura e eu o entrelacei. Me beijando intensamente ele entrava e saia com mais força ainda em mim, era o paraíso na terra. Eu gozei gemendo na boca dele e foi um climax incrível, mas ele continuou o movimento e logo outro climax se formou, e gozei novamente, um climax ainda maior que o anterior que me deixou sem fôlego, enquanto eu gozava ele me disse baixinho que estava no limite me sentindo pulsar ao seu redor, logo eu senti o gozo dele quente dentro de mim. Ficamos ali encostados naquela parede, totalmente sem fôlego, a testa dele encostada a minha. Enquanto me beijava, ele começou a sair de mim e eu estava completamente bem comida, como diria a Melissa. Eu sorri e ele me olhou, me deu um selinho e disse: - Você é realmente incrível! Gentilmente ele baixou minhas pernas até meus pés tocarem o chão, colocou o meu vestido em ordem, arrumou sua calça e me abraçou. Isso foi tão íntimo, tão afetuoso, apesar da loucura daquele encontro e da ferocidade com que nos entregamos, ele ainda era cuidadoso comigo. Eu nunca tinha tido uma relação tão maravilhosa, mas eu só tinha transado com meu ex até então. E meu ex nunca tinha se preocupado em me abraçar depois, nem se preocupava com meu prazer, para ele a coisa se resumia a entrar e sair até ele estar satisfeito, então, o fato de um homem se preocupar comigo, com meu prazer, cuidar de mim, foi novidade, e uma novidade incrível. Ele me deu um beijo no pescoço e perguntou no meu ouvido: - Então, linda, eu ainda não sei o seu nome. – Levei segundos para processar e finalmente me dar conta de que acabei de transar com um completo estranho e nem sei o nome dele. Quando eu ia abrir a boca pra falar, ele puxou o celular do bolso e me pediu um minuto para atender. Se afastou um pouco e só pude ouvir ele elevando a voz e dizendo: - O que você disse? – Nesse momento aquele estranho saiu correndo como se tivesse se esquecido de mim, ou como se só estivesse fugindo da rapariga que comeu rapidinho na festa. Mas e daí? Foda-se eu só estava me divertindo também e eu nem sabia quem era o cara e ele não sabia quem eu era. Tudo certo. Me recompus, procurei minha calcinha rasgada inutilmente, onde ele a teria jogado eu não faço ideia, e saí daquele corredor. Voltei pra mesa e encontrei a Mel e o Nando se agarrando. Logo eles pararam e focaram em mim: - Mel, acho que encontrei o Lobo Mau! – Eu ri e ela riu comigo. - Quando chegarmos em casa quero saber tudo! - Claro que quer! – respondi com os olhos brilhando. - Príncipe, acho que já podemos ir. O que acha, Cat? - Eu estou pronta quando vocês quiserem! – falei virando um copo de água. - Então vamos, garotas! – Fernando falou e nos conduziu para a saída. Mal chegamos e a Mel já foi me ordenando: - Conta tudo, quem é, como foi, como não foi, tudo. Eu ri e contei tudo pra ela, quando terminei de falar minha amiga me olhava de boca aberta e me perguntou: - Vocês usaram camisinha, né? Meu coração disparou! A gente não usou preservativo. E eu balancei a cabeça em negativa para ela, eu estava em choque por me dar conta do quão descuidada eu fui. Ela já foi logo me acalmando: - Não, Cat, calma. Com certeza não vai dar nada. Mas você deve fazer uns exames para garantir que está tudo bem. Vou na cozinha preparar um chá pra gente. Não surta! CAPÍTULO 3: Chegou a hora da verdade Na segunda, na hora do almoço, encontrei a Mel e ela me entregou uma sacolinha de uma loja chique. Olhei pra ela sem entender. - Minha mãe mandou eu te entregar. Ela disse que ele é perfeito para você e não combina com ela. – A Mel falou com um grande sorriso. Abri a sacolinha e lá dentro estava o perfume que eu usei para ir ao baile. Eu abri um grande sorriso. Eu amei aquele perfume e ele era parte da melhor noite da minha vida. Liguei para o laboratório e fui informada que precisaria apresentar um pedido médico para fazer os exames pelo plano de saúde. Graças a Deus a empresa pagava plano de saúde para os funcionários, porque se não, não sei o que faria, meu salário não era alto e o pouco que sobrava depois de cobrir as despesas da faculdade eu ajudava em casa, já que minha mãe não trabalhava fora e meu pai também não ganhava muito como motorista. Então marquei o médico que só tinha horário para quinze dias depois e aguardei agoniada. Quanto mais os dias passavam mais nervosa eu estava, a Mel fazia de tudo para me acalmar. Na data marcada ela foi comigo ao médico. Com a lista de exames nas mãos ela mesma marcou o laboratório e fez questão de me acompanhar. Já tinham se passado três semanas desde a festa quando eu finalmente consegui fazer os exames. Os resultados saíram cinco dias depois e eu voltei ao médico. Claro que a Mel estava comigo. O médico verificou os resultados e me olhou nos olhos: - Srta. Catarina, sua saúde está ótima. Você está saudável. Mas, daqui pra frente terá que se cuidar melhor. Eu respirei aliviada Ele continuou falando: - Parabéns, você está grávida! Vou encaminhá-la para um ginecologista obstetra para que você faça o pré natal.... Eu não ouvi mais nada, só o sangue pulsando em meus ouvidos. Eu não podia acreditar nisso! Grávida? Como eu iria explicar? Não é possível. Na primeira vez que deixo a racionalidade de lado acabo grávida e nem sei quem é o pai! A Mel segurava minha mão e repetia: - Calma, Cat, vai ficar tudo bem! Como ficaria tudo bem? Eu nem sabia quem era o pai. Eu teria que contar isso para os meus pais, sua única filha acabaria com eles. Eles ficariam decepcionados, iriam me odiar, me colocariam pra fora de casa. Como eu ia explicar que não sei nem como é a cara do pai do meu filho? Eu já estava hiperventilando. De repente, senti o médico pegando minha mão e falando calmamente: - Filha, calma! A situação, pelo que percebo, não é a melhor, mas você não pode ficar nervosa assim, isso fará mal para o seu bebê, agora você tem que se cuidar por ele. Tenho certeza que as pessoas que te amam vão te apoiar e ajudar. Mas você precisa se acalmar, porque só você pode cuidar para que esse bebê se desenvolva saudável e nasça forte. Você me compreende? O médico pediu a secretária para trazer um chá de camomila para mim e enquanto eu bebia o chá e tentava me acalmar ele passava todas as informações para a Melissa que ouvia tudo atentamente. Saímos do consultório e a Melissa me levou para uma lanchonete dizendo que nós precisávamos comer alguma coisa. Logo que me sentei senti as lágrimas caírem. Minha amiga me abraçou e me disse mais uma vez que eu não estava sozinha. Olhei para ela e disse: - A única certeza que tenho agora é que quero você e o Nando como padrinhos do meu filho, porque sei que vocês vão apoiá-lo e dar a ele muito amor. Os olhos dela brilharam e ela explodiu em lágrimas e soluçando me respondeu: - Eu vou ser a melhor madrinha do mundo e vou estar sempre perto do nosso bebê! E tenho certeza que o Nando vai ficar muito feliz também! Ela garantiu que estaria ao meu lado sempre, deixou claro que eu não passaria por nada sozinha e que estaria comigo quando eu fosse falar com meus pais. Meus pais... ai! Comecei a raciocinar e decidi que não iria esconder deles nem por um dia, ia contar naquela noite mesmo, não iria a faculdade, pois iria pra casa falar com eles. A Mel logo me apoiou e disse: - Então vamos, eu estou com você! Quando chegamos em minha casa meus pais se assustaram e minha mãe já veio toda preocupada: - Meninas, vocês não foram a aula hoje? Está tudo bem? - Não muito, mãe. Eu preciso falar com vocês. Meus pais perceberam logo que era algo muito sério. Nos sentamos todos na sala e eu contei a eles o que estava acontecendo e que eu fui irresponsável e fiquei com um estranho na festa, não entrei em detalhes obviamente, mas deixei claro que não poderia encontrar o pai do meu filho de novo. A decepção nos olhos deles era evidente. Minha mãe soluçava de tanto chorar e dizia que eu estava arruinada. Meu pai até então não havia dito nada. A Melissa vendo como minha mãe estava nervosa foi logo na cozinha e voltou com um copo de água com açúcar para ela. Melissa sempre dá água com açúcar pra quem está nervoso dizendo que acalma, eu nunca entendi isso. Por fim, meu pai falou: - Você cometeu um erro muito grande e não tem volta. Ouvir meu pai enfatizar que eu errei fez meu coração doer ainda mais. Eu comecei a chorar e fui falando: - Eu sei, pai, eu fui irresponsável. Mas agora não tem jeito. Eu vou deixar a faculdade para poder criar meu filho. E já vou fazer minha mala... - Fazer a mala? Você está muito enganada se acha que vai sair dessa casa assim. Você errou, nos decepcionou, mas nós te amamos, vamos superar isso e vamos ajudar você. Você não está sozinha, minha filha! E essa criança também não! – Meu pai disse isso e meu coração se encheu de esperança. - Mas pai, eu envergonhei vocês... - Você não é a primeira e não será a última mãe solteira nesse mundo. Nós gostaríamos que as coisas fossem diferentes para você, que não fossem tão difíceis. Você sempre foi tão responsável! Mas, se é assim, nós vamos enfrentar isso. Você não vai deixar a faculdade, mais do que nunca você precisa crescer na vida para cuidar do seu filho, você vai ser mãe solteira, sua responsabilidade é muito grande. Nós vamos te ajudar e, mesmo que seja com dificuldade, vai dar tudo certo. A Melissa já estava chorando e logo falou com os meus pais: - Sr. Antônio, Dona Celina, vocês contem comigo, vou ajudar em tudo! Até porque eu sou a madrinha desse bebê, a Cat é como uma irmã pra mim, e vou estar sempre por perto. Meus pais olharam para ela com gratidão. Eu olhei para aqueles três me sentindo completamente abençoada por tê-los em minha vida, cheia de amor por eles e um sentimento totalmente novo por aquele serzinho que ainda crescia dentro de mim e que eu acabava de descobrir a existência! Por mais difícil que fosse ser mãe solteira, aquela noite no baile foi a melhor noite da minha vida. Eu nunca vou poder esquecer aqueles olhos azuis violeta me olhando com adoração durante nosso encontro furtivo e tudo o que meu corpo experimentou naquela noite. Eu sempre teria essa doce lembrança comigo. Os meses seguintes foram difíceis. Guardei em uma caixa o vestido, os sapatos, a máscara e o perfume que a mãe da Mel me deu. Em dias difíceis eu abria aquela caixa e revivia em minha memória aquela noite. Embora eu tenha tido uma gravidez tranquila, os comentários e a maldade das pessoas era difícil suportar. Para piorar, depois que se casaram, meu ex e minha prima foram morar com os pais dela, que moravam na mesma rua que nós, e eles faziam questão de me humilhar com comentários maldosos sempre que me viam e espalharam no bairro inteiro que eu não sabia quem era o pai do meu filho e que eu era uma perdida, por isso que o Cláudio me deixou. Eu queria matá-los! A mãe da Kelly, que era irmã da minha mãe, também não perdia a oportunidade de ir lá em casa nos atormentar, dizendo que ainda bem que a filha dela não era como eu, que era uma boa moça, que tinha se casado com um homem decente. Parecia ter esquecido que aquela puta roubou meu namorado e transou com ele na minha cama. Mas eu engolia tudo, não valia a pena bater boca com essa gente e eu não queria transmitir sentimentos ruins ao meu filho. Quanto mais os dias passavam, mais eu amava aquele bebê, eu não tinha ideia que poderia existir um amor assim. Tudo o que eu fazia, fazia por ele. Eu o protegeria de tudo, eu daria a minha vida por ele. E, por incrível que pareça, com a gravidez parecia que todas as coisas fluíam para o meu bem, tudo ia se encaminhando e dando certo. Descobri que eu teria um menino e decidi que se chamaria Pedro. E assim foi. Pedro nasceu saudável, com um par de imensos olhos azuis violeta que nunca me deixariam esquecer da noite que mudou a minha vida, mas que foi a melhor noite que eu vivi! Eu nunca esqueceria aquele homem! CAPÍTULO 4: Depois da faculdade Quando eu me formei, Pedro já estava com dois anos. A essa altura ele já andava para todos os lados, sempre agarrado na vovó, que foi a primeira palavrinha que ele disse. Era um menino lindo, cabelinhos amigos bem lisinhos, pele clara, um nariz arrebitadinho e aqueles enormes olhos violeta que me faziam suspirar. Ele era o meu sol! E agora eu teria mais tempo pra ele. Após a formatura meu chefe me chamou para conversar, ele era um ótimo chefe, disse que estava muito feliz comigo na empresa, mas sabia que eu merecia chegar muito longe, então eu deveria procurar emprego na minha área, que ele compreenderia. Garantiu que meu emprego na construtora seria meu enquanto eu quisesse e que se eu saísse e não desse certo eu teria para onde voltar. Mas que eu deveria buscar algo na minha área de formação, para dar um futuro muito melhor para o meu filho. Eu fiquei muito emocionada com isso e aceitei o seu bom conselho. Contei pra Melissa e ela logo me disse que ia falar com o pai dela para que ele acionasse alguns contatos. E não demorou, o Sr. Otávio Lascuran, pai da Mel, me chamou no escritório dele e me entregou um cartão, me dizendo: - Catarina, sei que você é uma ótima garota e uma boa profissional. Falei com um amigo e ele conseguiu uma entrevista para você no Grupo Mellendez, é para o cargo de assistente do CEO do grupo. Se você conseguir esse emprego vai exercer sua profissão em uma empresa global, é um excelente cargo, mas não é aqui em Campanário. Você teria que se mudar para Porto Paraíso. Eu sei que é um passo enorme, mas acho que você deveria considerar, vai ser excelente para você. Enfim, envie um e-mail para o endereço eletrônico no cartão com a sua resposta desistindo da vaga ou aceitando a entrevista virtual. - Sr. Lascuran, eu não tenho palavras para agradecer! Vocês sempre foram tão bons comigo! O Grupo Mellendez é um dos maiores conglomerados de empresas do país! Trabalhar lá é um sonho! Eu vou aceitar a entrevista sim, se tiver que me mudar eu vou, sei que será uma grande oportunidade. – falei com convicção, pois não seria ruim me afastar daquelas pessoas maldosas da minha família, principalmente agora que a “rainha” Kelly estava grávida e a mãe dela resolveu pedir tudo que é do Pedro pro rebento do casal canalha! Ainda bem que minha mãe disse a ela que isso era um absurdo, mas que de qualquer forma seria impossível, pois eu já havia dado tudo que não servia mais para o Pedro para uma conhecida que estava grávida. Minha mãe andava muito chateada com a irmã, pois ela estava sempre se desfazendo do meu filho, sempre se referia a ele como o menino sem pai e isso magoou muito minha mãe. Indo embora dessa cidade, só vou lamentar em deixar meus pais e meus amigos, mas sei que eles vão me apoiar mais uma vez. Agradeci ao Sr. Lascuran e sai do escritório. Cheguei a minha mesa e falei com o meu chefe, outro Sr. Lascuran, mas ele não gostava de ser chamado assim então o chamava pelo nome: - Aldo, seu irmão conseguiu uma entrevista pra mim no Grupo Mellendez. Ele sorriu: - Eu sei, ele acabou de me ligar, acho que você deve agarrar a oportunidade, se não der certo você volta. Sorri pra ele e fui logo enviar o e-mail para marcar a entrevista. Recebi rapidamente a confirmação de que a entrevista seria no dia seguinte às dez horas da manhã, já que eu já havia tomado a iniciativa de enviar o meu currículo, a entrevista seria rápida. Naquela noite em casa falei com os meus pais que entenderam, mesmo se preocupando em como eu ia cuidar de uma criança sozinha em outra cidade e ficando chorosos porque ficariam longe do neto. Me apoiaram como sempre e ficaram felizes com a oportunidade que eu recebi. Pedi que eles não contassem para ninguém. Quando a Mel chegou, ela ia todos os dias ver o afilhado, contei tudo e ela me ajudou a me preparar para o dia seguinte. Na hora da entrevista, fui para a sala de reuniões do meu trabalho, meu chefe havia me liberado, me sentei e esperei a chamada. Fui entrevistada por uma senhora muito gentil e inteligente, Sra. Mariana Toledo. Foi muito agradável, conversamos por duas horas, ela me passou todas as informações do cargo, salário e benefícios, no final ela me disse: - Catarina, você está contratada! Você vai me substituir, já que eu estou indo para um cargo de diretoria na filial de Londres, então você ocupará meu cargo aqui. De modo que gostaria que você começasse o mais rápido possível, pois eu viajo daqui a dez dias e gostaria de lhe passar tudo antes de ir. E também não gostaria de reagendar a minha partida. Quando você pode começar? - Eu preciso apenas que meu chefe me libere, mas creio que posso estar aí na segunda. – Já era sexta, será que o Aldo concordaria em me liberar ainda hoje? - Perfeito. Você pode me enviar um e-mail confirmando depois de falar com ele. Você tem alguma dúvida? - Não, senhora. Está tudo claro. -Ótimo! Bem vinda ao Grupo Mellendez, tenho certeza que você vai se sair muito bem. Te espero na segunda. Ela encerrou a chamada e meu coração estava disparado, eu tinha conseguido. O emprego era ótimo, o salário melhor ainda e eu ainda teria chance de progredir. Era um sonho. Mas era hora de correr para resolver tudo. Fui imediatamente falar com meu chefe. Ele ficou feliz, ligou para a contabilidade e mandou fazer meu acerto imediatamente. Após o acerto ele me liberou, disse que eu teria sempre um lugar para voltar se precisasse, mas que sabia que eu iria me dar muito bem. O agradeci por tudo e saí. Mandei o e-mail de confirmação para a Sra. Mariana, dizendo que na segunda, às oito da manhã, estaria na empresa, e fui logo falar com a Mel e o pai dela, tinha que agradecer. E aí foi a Mel quem me surpreendeu: - O que você achou, que ia levar meu afilhado embora assim? Não vai mesmo! Meu pai conseguiu uma entrevista para mim na Lince Mundi em Porto Paraíso. Eu vou me mudar com você e vamos morar juntas. O que acha? Isso era perfeito! Fiquei muito feliz, mas logo perguntei: - Mel, mas e o Nando? - O Nando já pediu na empresa a transferência dele pra filial de Porto Paraíso, lá ele terá mais oportunidades também. Ele vai daqui a quinze dias. Amiga, vida nova para nós três. Eu estava muito feliz. A Mel já havia orquestrado tudo. O Nando ia nos levar e ela ficaria com o Pedro para eu trabalhar até conseguirmos a creche. Ela já tinha três creches para visitar e o pai dela já havia disponibilizado um apartamento mobiliado na cidade pra gente. Era bom demais, eu estava até com medo. Percebendo, a Mel me cutucou e me disse: - Aprenda a aceitar as coisas boas que a vida te oferece! Eu sorri pra ela e fomos para a casa dos meus pais. Era hora de dar a notícia e nos despedir. Porto Paraíso fica do outro lado do país, então ficaríamos sem nos ver um tempo. Meus pais ficaram felizes, até eu dizer que partiria na manhã seguinte, aí a despedida foi uma tristeza. Era difícil deixá-los para trás, mas era necessário. Com o salário que eu receberia, poderia ajudá-los agora. Isso era bom. Na manhã seguinte o Nando e a Mel chegaram pontualmente. O pai da Mel deu uma caminhonete de presente para ela, o que facilitou muito fazer nossa mudança. O Nando colocou tudo na caminhonete e lá fomos nós, seria o dia todo na estrada. Chegamos a Porto Paraíso já era tarde da noite de sábado, Pedrinho estava muito cansado, se divertiu muito durante a viagem, era tudo novidade. Nos acomodamos, pedimos comida e depois de comer fomos dormir. No domingo percorremos a cidade reconhecendo tudo, Porto Paraíso era uma cidade muito grande, cheia de indústrias, muito moderna, ficava no litoral e o porto atraia muitos negócios para a cidade, era um centro urbano de primeiro mundo. O apartamento em que iríamos morar ficava perto de uma das creches que a Mel havia contactado, isso era ótimo, e também não ficava longe da empresa, de metrô eu chegaria em vinte minutos. Era lindo, decorado em estilo moderno e bem arejado e iluminado, com janelas enormes. À noite deixamos o Nando no aeroporto e de volta em casa fomos descansar, o dia seguinte seria um grande dia, eu começaria no emprego e a Mel faria sua entrevista virtual e marcaria com a diretora da creche perto do apartamento para irmos conhecer e conversar. Coloquei meu filho na cama, ele estava cansado de tanto que se divertiu hoje. Eu observei por um tempo seu soninho tranquilo e estava confiante de que aqui nós teríamos uma vida muito boa. Pedro agora tinha seu próprio quarto, eu e a Mel combinamos de comprar umas coisinhas para deixar bem a nossa cara, dar um toque pessoal. Peguei a babá eletrônica e fui para o meu quarto. Abri uma das minhas caixas e comecei a arrumar tudo ali. Quando abri a última caixa, tirei dela a caixa com minhas lembranças da noite do baile, a abri, passei a mão por aquele vestido lindo e suspirei mais uma vez. Peguei o perfume e pensei, “por que não?”, a partir de amanhã eu usaria esse perfume todos os dias, meu salário era bom e quando esse acabasse eu poderia comprar outro. Guardei a caixa, deixei o perfume sobre a penteadeira e fui dormir cheia de expectativas com essa vida nova que se abria a minha frente. CAPÍTULO 5: Meu novo chefe é muito estressado Me apresentei na empresa às oito da manhã. Fui muito bem recebida pela Sra. Mariana, que me apresentou todo mundo e todos foram gentis. O chefe não estava lá, estava viajando e chegaria no final da semana. O escritório era lindo, muito moderno, todo decorado em branco, aço inox e detalhes verdes, muito profissional e acolhedor ao mesmo tempo. Era elegante e eu gostei muito. Fiquei particularmente feliz por ter escolhido vestir um terno amigo, com uma blusa de cetim verde escuro por baixo e saltos amigos. Eu deveria estar elegante todos os dias agora, afinal ia trabalhar direto com o presidente da empresa. No meio da manhã recebi uma mensagem da Mel dizendo que conseguiu marcar com a diretora da creche próxima ao nosso apartamento para a hora do almoço. Expliquei a situação a Sra. Mariana e perguntei se seria possível me liberar no horário, mas que eu estaria de volta a tempo. - Então você tem um filho. Qual a idade dele? – ela me perguntou com um sorriso. - Ele tem dois anos. É um garotinho muito esperto. Não foi planejado, mas é a razão da minha vida! - Qual o nome dele? - Pedro. - Pedro. Um nome forte. Você não é casada, isso eu sei, mas e o pai do seu filho, vocês continuam juntos? – Meu coração despencou, como é que eu explico pra ela que não sei quem é o pai? Mas eu não minto, então vamos enfrentar a verdade. Contei para ela que o pai do Pedro era um homem que eu conheci em uma festa e nunca mais vi, ela me olhava séria, não havia julgamento nos olhos dela. Então me disse: - Você tem o meu respeito, Catarina, não é fácil ser mãe solteira, e é muito difícil contar verdades como essa que você sabe que vai despertar o julgamento dos outros. Obrigada pela confiança e honestidade. Vai lá resolver a creche para o seu filho, continuamos à tarde, não pr	LEARN_MORE	https://alplk.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17914&ut	Bom livro	https://www.facebook.com/61559869885862/	8,768	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	alplk.com	VIDEO	🔥Mais grandes romances aqui🔥	https://alplk.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17914&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-lga3-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481993687_1108001191074002_496883829974434582_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=_nCVXDDtNJwQ7kNvgHd3fdm&_nc_oc=AdgM95URTtmTEsvQxfWb7gfh0O73G8BpEXdhE-TWZwZEt9LH-BzBnw9tMvI8t09zfpilqoC5IcGcdFWSjs889-mv&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-3.xx&_nc_gid=AJtszQa-3IHUuzPsLJkjsF7&oh=00_AYD64MOxHDKjTnfVo7shyRW4k_qndFcaHtewVg2NHog0_Q&oe=67C9C6E8	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Bom livro	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,726,013	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2725952}'	Yes	2025-03-02 01:48	active	2672	🔥NEW POPULAR READ🔥	“I want a divorce.” I said, but there was no response. “I said I want a divorce.” I repeated louder this time, clenching my fists at my sides. Alpha Dante finally looked up from his desk, staring at me like I had come to throw another tantrum. “You are tired. Go and have a nap or something,” he said dismissively. I bit down on my lips and, in annoyance, slammed the divorce papers I had secretly gathered on his desk. “What is this?” he muttered in irritation, flipping through the papers. “These are the divorce papers. I have my signature already on them. All that’s left is your signature.” His brow furrowed, and his jaw clenched. Then suddenly, he tore the papers into shreds, causing me to gasp. “What… what do you think you are doing? I spent months gathering that… why would you…” “I will not divorce!” His voice thundered, causing me to flinch. He tossed the shredded papers across the room. “You are my wife. The Luna of the Moonshade Pack. How dare you ask for a divorce?” “What more do you want? You’ve caused me nothing but pain for the past three years,” I found myself yelling in anger. “You’ve had your revenge. My father's dead and you took over his pack. What more do you want? Why won’t you let me go? Why…” “It’s not enough!” he cut me off. “Your pain is not enough! You cannot be happy while I am unhappy! You will remain unhappy by my side forever,” he said, now standing, his voice filled with nothing but disdain. I let out a shaky breath. Who was he? This wasn’t the man I had fallen in love with. This wasn’t the man who held me close on cold nights, who whispered sweet nothings in my ear, who promised to protect me from all harm. No, this was a stranger—a monster wrapped in the same familiar body. I shook my head in disbelief, my heart pounding in my chest. How had we come to this? “I, Amaya Blackwood…” “Don’t you dare, Amaya!” he said, taking steps forward while I took more back. “…of the Moonshade pack reject you…” “Amaya!” he yelled, closing the distance as I slammed my back against a wall. His hand gripped my jaw, his red eyes glowing as he stared at me while I glared back at him. “Divorce me, Dante,” I muttered, breathing heavily, but his grip only tightened around my jaw, so tight that it felt like he could actually crush it any moment. “Please… let me go.” “Never!” he growled. “I will never let you go, Amaya. Even if you hate me.” We continued staring at each other, panting heavily, until I looked away. Only then did his grip loosen, and he took a step back. “Now return to your room, and don’t you ever think about something as absurd as divorce again, because it’s never going to happen.” I paused by the door, my grip tightening around the doorknob, but I said nothing. As I was returning to my room, I was so lost in thought that I bumped into someone by the stairs. “Oh, sorry,” I muttered, and when I looked up, I saw that the man I bumped into was Cyrus, the son of my father’s Beta, Vaughn. His father was part of the revolution that had overthrown my father. Unfortunately, before my father was caught, Vaughn was shot in the heart by my father. He did not survive. “Watch where you are going,” he sneered. I lowered my head and continued walking, but then he added, “The Alpha received a marriage proposal.” I froze, gripping the hem of my dress. He continued, “She’s an amazing woman. One of our best warriors. The people love her and approve of them as a couple. Do you know what this means?” He turned to me with a smug look, expecting a disapproving response. Instead, I smiled warmly. “Ah yes, they do seem like a perfect match. I already asked Dante for a divorce, but he refused. You are his close friend. I am sure you would be able to convince him to take the proposal seriously.” His smug look faltered, and he looked at me confused. “You are giving up so easily?” he said, and now I was the one who was confused. “What else can I do? He’s made it clear that I have no say in my own life. If this marriage proposal is what’s best for the pack, who am I to stand in the way?” He frowned, and when he didn’t say anything else, I turned away. When I got to my room, I closed the door behind me and let out a shaky breath as I recalled Cyrus’s words. The pack adored their new Alpha. After all, he had saved them from misfortune. Kara was also everything I wasn’t—strong, beloved, and loyal to the pack. She had fought alongside Dante for the freedom of the pack. It was only natural for them to be together. They were a perfect match, and I was sure the people would pressure Dante to accept. But what did that mean for me? Would I be finally free? No, that wasn’t possible. I was the last remaining royal bloodline of the Moonshade pack. The people hated me. They wanted me gone, and Dante would never let me go. Even if he moved on, he would keep me as a prisoner. I sighed and walked over to the window. My eyes widened for a brief moment when I saw Dante and Kara walking side by side. They were talking about something, and he was smiling. But then it all vanished as he shifted his gaze and his eyes met mine. A shiver ran down my spine, but I couldn’t look away. So we just stared at each other until Kara tugged at his sleeve, urging him to focus on her. He glanced back at her with the same warm smile, and they both walked away. “Should I jump?” was the first thought that came to my head as soon as they were out of sight. I could run as far as my legs could carry me. But where would I go? Who was I kidding? Dante had allies everywhere while I had no one. My parents were gone, their loyal followers were either scattered or dead. I was alone. Chapter 2 I woke up the next morning with a very high fever, but I still managed to get out of bed. Outside my bedroom window, I could hear chants from protesters who wanted me gone from the pack. This had become a routine; they did it every morning until they were chased away by the guards. I got dressed and headed downstairs to join Dante for breakfast. Although I didn’t want to, he had insisted, not giving me much of a choice. So, against my will, I had to see him every morning before he left the packhouse. Today was different, though. Kara was sitting at the breakfast table, smiling as she poured Dante a cup of coffee. “Good morning, Amaya,” she said, as if she wasn’t sitting in my house, at my table, sharing coffee with my husband while I sat at the far end, away from both of them. “Good morning,” I muttered, keeping my eyes down. Dante, on the other hand, didn’t look up. He was busy reading something on his tablet. “Amaya, you look pale,” she added just as I was about to take a bite of my sausage. “Are you not feeling well?” I looked at her, caught off guard. There was no way she would care. That was confirmed when I saw pity in her eyes, and my walls went back up. As if on cue, Dante looked up from his tablet, his gaze meeting mine, waiting for my response. “I…I’m fine,” I muttered. “If you’re fine, stop sulking,” Dante said coldly. “Dante,” Kara scolded. “Why are you being harsh? She doesn’t look well.” “She’s the daughter of a powerful Alpha. I’m sure her wolf will heal her,” he said. And he would be right, except I had lost contact with my wolf as a result of the trauma. It was like she just vanished. Perhaps that was another reason I couldn’t feel the mate bond, and that was why his words hurt less. “But…” Kara tried to insist, but he cut her off. “Fine…I will get the pack healer.” “No, it’s not necessary. It’s just a fever.” I tried taking a bite of the sausage, but the smell made me nauseous, and I put it back down. “Excuse me,” I said, standing up. “Where are you going?” Dante asked. “I’m not hungry,” I replied. Not waiting for his response, I turned and walked out of the dining room. In the corner, I could see some maids giggling as I walked by. I knew it was about me, but I could do nothing but continue walking. Later that evening, Dante informed me I would be joining him for a party. My dress had already been picked out, and all I had to do was be there, in his words. It was difficult walking in heels. I had mentioned this in the past, but I guess he had forgotten—or perhaps he only pretended to care back then. I felt dizzy due to my rising fever, yet I had to shake it off for the sake of this occasion. As soon as we entered, all eyes fell on us. My hand was wrapped around his, and I could feel my grip tightening because of how nervous I was, which was weird because I was always the confident one. When we walked in, a man approached us with a smile and extended his hand to Dante. “Alpha Dante, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said while completely ignoring my presence. “Always good to see you, Mark,” he said, returning the handshake. I stood there awkwardly as the two men continued to talk. The man didn’t even glance in my direction, making me feel like an outsider. After a while, I slowly released my grip and took a small step back, then another, until I had created some distance between us—but I could still hear their voices. “So, Alpha, why didn’t you accept the marriage proposal?” he asked, as if I wasn’t in the room with them. “I’m not sure where that rumor came from. I already have a wife,” Dante said, laughing, catching me off guard. But I quickly reminded myself it was probably just to save face. After a while, the show started, and I was back at Dante’s side. It was a live band playing one of my favorite songs. I closed my eyes as memories from years ago flooded back—when I used to perform on stages, traveling on tours. But after the incident, it felt like I lost my voice. “Luna, didn’t you use to sing?” I heard a voice from among the crowd, and my eyes snapped open. “Yes! Why don’t you sing for us?” another said. “Wait…what…I…” I tried to speak, but they cut me off. “Come on, one song! Don’t be shy. You’ve earned many awards for your singing.” It was true, but right now, I couldn’t. Before I could protest, a woman grabbed my hand forcefully and pulled me to the stage, handing me a mic. I stood in front of the stage, staring at the crowd in front of me. This was nothing compared to the hundreds of people I had sung in front of in the past, but back then, they didn’t look at me with such disdain. “Sing!” They urged, while my heart raced. In the crowd, I could see Dante staring at me expectantly. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I just couldn’t. A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, making my body sway slightly. My skin was burning up, but at the same time, I felt so cold that my fingers were trembling. Gosh, I should have stayed back at home. My head was pounding and my legs felt like they weren’t even mine anymore. “I…I…sorry. I…” I tried to say, but my vision suddenly blurred, and the next thing I knew, the room was tilting. No, I was falling. The last thing I saw was an image of Dante’s wide eyes as he rushed toward me, but everything went black before I could see if he caught me. When I opened my eyes, I was lying in my bed. “Don’t move,” a voice said sternly. It wasn’t Dante’s—it was the pack’s healer. I blinked, watching him mix something in a small bowl. “You collapsed at the party,” he explained, not looking at me. “I can’t believe the Alpha called me for something so trivial. There are people in this pack who genuinely need my help, not…” his words trailed off. I stared at the window. My throat was dry, and my head was aching like crazy. I wanted to close my eyes, but the healer continued muttering. “Honestly, wasting my time on someone who’s probably just fine. It’s not like I have better things to do,” he said, as if I wasn’t lying right next to him. The room fell silent. After a few minutes, the door opened, and Dante stepped in. “What happened?” he asked the healer. “Nothing serious,” the healer said, waving his hand dismissively. “She’s been indoors too much. Likely a mix of stress and low energy. She’ll be fine after some rest and sunlight.” Dante crossed his arms. “She fainted in the middle of a party. That’s not nothing.” But the healer only sighed in frustration. “Alpha, I’ve told you what I think. If you don’t trust my judgment, perhaps you’d like to consult someone else. As I said, she just needs rest.” Dante’s jaw clenched as he thought for a moment. “Leave,” he ordered. The healer wasted no time gathering his things before leaving the room. When the door shut, the room fell silent again. I didn’t dare look at Dante—I was still staring at the ceiling—but I could feel his presence close. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” he finally asked. I closed my eyes as the headache worsened. “I’m fine,” I whispered. There was another wave of silence between us until I heard his footsteps retreating, followed by the door closing. Only then did I open my eyes. I managed to sit up and opened my drawer, picking up a bag containing pills. I grabbed the bottled water I always had next to my bed and gulped down the medicine. Without taking this, I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Chapter 3 The next days that followed, I started noticing Dante more often in the house than before. Although we never truly had a proper conversation, he wasn’t yelling like he used to. “My husband has been really cold and distant lately.” I overheard a conversation between two maids while I was walking down the hallway. They were whispering, but I could hear them clearly. “Do you have a child yet?” the older maid asked while the younger one shook her head. “I wanted to wait, but now… I don’t know. Maybe it was a mistake. He’s barely home, and when he is, it feels like we’re strangers.” “Ah, that’s just what happens with newlyweds. Men get restless, but trust me, once you give him a child, everything will change. He’ll return to his loving self. That’s how it’s always been.” I froze upon hearing those words. A child? Was that the answer? But Dante had never asked for one, which is why I never even considered it. But now… maybe… just maybe. That night, I found myself standing in front of Dante’s office, debating whether to knock or not. Just then, the door opened, and he stepped out. He looked surprised when he saw me there. His gaze shifted from my head to my toes. I was wearing a slightly transparent nightgown, but at the last minute, I had thrown a robe over it. “Dante,” I whispered. “Are you busy?” We had done this many times in the past. Whenever he wanted it, he would come to my room. But for the past year, he had stopped coming. I assumed he had grown tired of me. So, I never made a move—until now. “If you are not busy, I was thinking…” I tugged on his shirt, silently praying he wouldn’t reject me. To my surprise, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me inside, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click. My heart pounded in my chest. I reached for the tie of my robe, but before I could even pull it off, his lips crashed onto mine. He gripped me firmly, holding me in place as his mouth moved against mine. It felt like he was desperate. But even then… his kiss felt cold. Before I could even think, his hands were already at the tie of my robe, and it pulled open. It fell from my shoulders, and I stood there in just my nightgown and nothing underneath. He didn’t waste time, grabbing the hem of my nightgown and pulling it over my head. Now I was standing before him, nervously fidgeting with my fingers. His eyes darkened for a brief second before his expression went blank again. “Lie down,” he commanded. Without a second thought, I moved toward the bed, doing exactly what he told me to. The next morning, when I woke up, I was sore all over. Dante wasn’t in the room. He had left that same night as soon as he was done. Gosh, I regretted it instantly. Last night, although filled with pleasure, was emotionless. He didn’t utter a single word or make a single sound. Even when he released inside of me. Nothing. It felt like a machine doing its job, even worse than before. It took me a while to pick myself up and return to my room. And after that day, I saw less and less of Dante. He was always busy with work and even missed our usual morning breakfasts together. Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and nothing really changed. “I want to go to the beach,” I suddenly brought it up during breakfast. “I will arrange for us to go this weekend,” he said, looking at his phone. “No… just me. I want to go alone,” I said, and his eyes instantly snapped up to meet mine. “You want to go alone?” he repeated. “Why? Who do you want to meet?” “Why do you assume I want to meet someone?” I asked, but I was met with a cold glare, causing me to swallow nothing. “I heard your friend is in town.” He was talking about Ryder, my childhood best friend who had confessed his love to me in the past, but I had turned him down to be with Dante. Although I was aware he was in town, he still wasn’t the reason I was going to the beach. “I just want some time alone. I have been locked inside for too long. Didn’t the healer say that I needed more sunlight and fresh air?” I reminded him. He glared at me, then nodded. “Fine, I will make arrangements for a guard to accompany you.” Even though I wanted to argue, I knew it was pointless, so I nodded. That weekend, I went to the beach alone. Well, not alone. The guard was following me but from a distance. I inhaled the salty air and watched the crashing waves. I played in the sand and picked shells, trying to remind myself of the good old days. Sitting on the floor, I thought about Dante again. I missed him—or at least the version of him that I had married. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice the guard moving closer. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my back as a knife was plunged deep into my skin. I gasped, and before I could scream, he yanked the knife out, whispering, “The Blackwood family deserves to die.” A shiver ran down my spine, but before I could react, he raised the knife again, preparing to strike. “Hey!” A fisherman spotted us and shouted, rushing towards us and raising alarm. The guard, realizing he had been caught, ran away while I collapsed on the floor, struggling to breathe. “Stay with me, miss,” the fisherman panicked, reaching out for his phone. Ah! He didn’t recognize me. Thank God. If he did, he would have also left me to die. But even that didn’t stop me from losing more blood until I lost consciousness. Chapter 4 Dante’s POV I was at a pack meeting when I got the call that Amaya had been stabbed—by not just anyone, but one of my own men. “What?” I barked into the phone, startling the Alphas around me. My heart pounded violently in my chest, and for the first time in years, true fear gripped me. I left immediately, shifting into my wolf and racing toward the hospital. By the time I arrived, I was breathing heavily, and my hands were shaking. The doctor was waiting for me. “The wound was deep,” he started. “She lost a lot of blood. It will take at least a month for her to fully recover.” I frowned. “A month?” That didn’t make sense. With her wolf, she should be healed in a week at most. “There’s… something else.” The doctor hesitated. “Spit it out,” I growled. “Your wife was weeks pregnant, Alpha… but she lost the child due to the trauma.” Everything stopped. A ringing in my ear drowned out all other sound, and my eyes turned red. The doctor’s mouth was still moving, but I couldn’t hear him. Pregnant? Amaya was pregnant? My body moved before I could think, and I grabbed the doctor by the collar, slamming him against the wall. “You’re lying,” I snarled, my claws digging into his chest while my wolf howled in agony, wanting to break free. “She wasn’t pregnant! She would have told me!” “It’s still in the early stages… she must not have—” “She did this on purpose, didn’t she?” I cut him off. “She didn’t tell me because she planned to leave! She was going to run off with Ryder, wasn’t she?” I couldn’t think straight. This was Amaya’s fault. She had been distant, she wanted to go to the beach alone. She had let her guard down… I shoved the doctor away and turned, my fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my skin. When she woke up, I confronted her about the news, but she just stared at me, emotionless like she usually did. Even now, she felt no remorse. She didn’t shed a single tear, and that annoyed me. I gritted my teeth and stormed out of the room. The guard who had stabbed her was still on the run, so after she was discharged, I had her quarantined in her room. She wasn’t allowed to step out for anything, but just in case, I stationed two guards outside and monitored the maids going in and out of her room. All her meals and drinks had to go through me before they reached her. I wasn’t taking any chances. If she wanted to act emotionless, fine. But I wasn’t going to let her make another mistake—wasn’t going to let her run away or get the freedom she wanted because of her reckless decisions. For days, she barely spoke. She ate without complaint, bathed, and slept as if nothing had happened. Her indifference made me angry. Did she not care that she had lost our child? As for the guard who had stabbed her, I personally hunted him down. Kneeling before me, covered in dirt and blood, he trembled as he dared to meet my gaze. His lips quivered as he spoke. “I was doing you a favor, Alpha,” he choked out. “The Blackwood… they all deserve to die. She’s a—” I snapped his neck before he could finish. Though I felt I should have tortured him, should have made him suffer, I couldn’t waste another second on a traitor who thought he had the right to decide my fate. Wiping the blood off my hands, I turned to my men. “Burn his body. Let it be a warning to anyone else who dares to defy me.” They bowed their heads in obedience, dragging the corpse away. That night, I headed straight to her room unannounced to deliver the news. She was sitting by the window, staring at the moon, and didn’t turn around when I entered. “He’s dead,” I said. She didn’t respond. I clenched my fists, stepping closer. “I hunted him down myself. Snapped his neck like the traitor he was.” Still nothing. My jaw tightened. “Is that all you’re going to do? Just sit there and stare at moon like nothing happened?” Finally, she turned her head slightly. I flinched when I saw the emptiness in her eyes—she looked like a living corpse. “What do you want me to say, Alpha?” “You lost our child,” I growled, taking another step forward. “And you sit here as if you feel nothing.” Her lips pressed into a thin line. “What do you want me to do? Cry? Scream? You already decided this was my fault.” I scoffed. “Isn’t it?” She lowered her head. “Of course. Everything is always my fault.” My blood boiled, and I grabbed her by the arm, yanking her to her feet. “Don’t play games with me.” “Then let go.” I gritted my teeth, staring down at her, but then my eyes widened when my gaze reached her fingers—I saw her ring was missing. “Your ring… You took it off.” She looked at her hand, and when she saw it wasn’t there, she muttered, “Oh.” Oh. Just an oh. Even though I hated her, I never took off my ring. It was the only reminder of what we once shared. “That’s it?” I snarled. “You take off our bond like it meant nothing, and all you can say is ‘oh’? If you hated me this much, you should have just left.” Her lips curved into a small, bitter smile. “Didn’t I try?” “You—” “But you wouldn’t let me, so why are you surprised? You chained me to you. Did you really think a ring would change that?” “That’s enough,” I said, shutting my eyes and shoving her back onto the bed. I took a step back, running a hand through my hair. “Put the ring back on.” “No.” “That wasn’t a request.” “I can’t, because I didn’t take it off. It must have fallen off somewhere at the beach,” she said, turning back to face the window. “I will go search for it,” I said, stepping back and running my hand through my hair. She didn’t answer. “Go to bed.” I clenched my jaw, and without another word, I left, slamming the door behind me. Chapter 5 Dante POV Five Years Ago – Flashback “Did you sleep well?” I asked, running my fingers through Amaya’s silky hair as her head rested on my lap. “No,” she pouted, turning her face up to look at me. I smirked, brushing a loose strand behind her ear. “And why is that, princess?” She huffed dramatically. “Because you weren’t there.” It had only been a short mission—three days at the border—but she acted as if I had been gone for months. I chuckled, trailing my fingers down her jaw. “I told you I’d come back.” “You’re always leaving,” she muttered, crossing her arms. “And one day, you won’t.” My smirk faltered. Amaya was the Alpha’s only daughter, raised in the safety of the packhouse, protected like an egg. She had never known real war, real danger. And yet, she feared losing me more than anything. I gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet my gaze. “I will always come back to you.” She blinked, her emerald eyes searching mine for a moment before she whispered, “Promise?” I leaned down, brushing my lips against her forehead. “I swear it.” A small smile tugged at her lips, but I could still see the hesitation in her eyes. She didn’t like my life as a soldier, didn’t like the bloodshed or the risks. But she loved me enough to endure it. “Come with me next time,” she said, catching me off guard. I raised a brow. “What?” “On your next mission,” she said, propping herself up on her elbows. “I want to see what it’s like.” I laughed, shaking my head. “Absolutely not.” She scowled. “Why not?” “Because you’re the Alpha’s daughter,” I reminded her. “And your father would have my head if I let you anywhere near danger.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a child, Dante.” “No, but you’re my princess,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her palm. “And I won’t let anything happen to you.” She sighed in frustration but didn’t argue further. Instead, she curled up against me, resting her head on my chest. “Then don’t take so long next time,” she whispered, and I wrapped my arms around her, inhaling the familiar scent of lavender and honey. End of Flashback Ding! Ding! My phone vibrated, startling me out of my sleep. My neck was sore as I had dozed off at my desk. Glancing at my phone, I saw a message from Amaya. I frowned. “I’m sorry.” I scoffed. Sorry? She was apologizing? She should have done that sooner and made things easier for both of us, but she just had to be so stubborn. I picked up my pen to continue signing some documents. But then 10 minutes passed and I found myself just flipping the pages. “She never apologizes,” Mako, my wolf, said, and my hand froze. It was true. Amaya had never been one to admit when she was wrong, even in the past. She had always been proud, but more than that, she had always been distant, keeping her emotions hidden. Something wasn’t right. I immediately grabbed my phone to call her, but the line went straight to voicemail. I got up from my desk and sped past the hallway. There was no way she would have run away. She wouldn’t. She wouldn’t… she couldn’t. When I got to her room, I saw two guards standing outside. “Has she left her room?” was the first thing I asked. “No, Alpha. In fact, she has been asleep for a while now. Told us not to disturb her,” one of them replied, and I sighed in relief. Well, that was good. At least she was actually apologizing, but why did I still feel uneasy? She hadn’t left. She was still here. But why wasn’t she answering me? I opened the door, and the moment I stepped inside, I saw her lying in her bed. I breathed another sigh of relief. “Something feels off,” Mako said. I walked closer to her and bent down beside her bed. When I touched her, her skin was cold, causing me to catch my breath. “Amaya,” I whispered, shaking her, but there was no response. “Amaya!” I shouted, shaking her harder, but still, no response. She wasn’t waking up. “No,” I whispered, backing away as my gaze shifted around the room, trying to pinpoint why—until it landed on her nightstand. My blood ran cold when I saw them. Scattered pills. Not one. Not two. Dozens. And they were all empty. My body froze as everything came crashing down. No… I stumbled back and rushed to her, shaking her violently this time. “Amaya! Wake up!” My hands were shaking as I checked the pulse in her wrist. I felt a pulse… but it was weak. Too weak. I turned to the guards at the door. “Get the healer! Get the doctor, NOW!” I watched the hours tick by as the healer worked on Amaya’s unconscious form. I stood by her bedside, clenching my fists while my wolf paced recklessly in my mind. “She’s stable,” the healer finally said, wiping sweat from his brow. “But her body is weak. It will take time before she wakes up, so she must be monitored closely.” I barely heard the last part before he bowed and left, leaving just the two of us alone. Right now, she looked so pale… like a ghost. I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed it before. I grabbed her wrist, feeling her faint pulse. “Look what you’ve done,” I muttered. How dare you try to leave me? “Isn’t this what you wanted?” Mako taunted. “Our mate almost died. Aren’t you supposed to be happy? You wanted this, didn’t you?” No. I shook my head. My breathing was becoming heavier, so I had to step back, but I almost stumbled. “I didn’t want her dead. I just… I just wanted her to suffer by my side.” She can’t leave me. Never. I won’t let that happen.	LEARN_MORE	https://getokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=18708&u	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	2,466	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	getokn.com	IMAGE		https://getokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=18708&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-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/480577587_968578531555445_2283855434268425913_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=LlTqqLWG3AAQ7kNvgGoXmqP&_nc_oc=AdgHBeMJby9FVhRvzq3UIdjABnt67xFiE_UB__pKlPVxHvzHk2Pwdo-a6nv9JRyRB_ISFyz_Y1j4Zw1Txma6K9xw&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A6Bs3-rwufewFJSFQrrZUL5&oh=00_AYBXSdTopFqbMw6Ov85_-uKbJxXJRNx_SXZt5UDCcZcE_A&oe=67C9F733	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,725,175	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2025-03-02 01:30	active	2671	High quality rocket stoves	🚨 Outdoor enthusiasts! 🙋🏕️ Take your outdoor cooking experience to a whole new level with a rocket stove! Rocket stoves are PERFECT for outdoor lovers. ✅ Cook entire meals with just scrap wood ✅ Smoke-free, and eco-friendly ✅ No more carrying around a propane bottle while camping ✅ High quality craftsmanship, made in the USA 🇺🇸 And don’t just take our word for it: “This thing is built by people who has pride in what they make! Quality and workmanship is excellent!” – Gary P. “I was able to fry three batches of filets, two batches of potatoes, and a few hush puppies in short order without any trouble at all.” – Kelly R. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Average Product Rating Get your stove before we’re sold out!	SHOP_NOW	https://www.chiassonsmoke.com/rocket-stoves	Chiasson Smoke	https://www.facebook.com/chiassonsmoke/	411,474	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	chiassonsmoke.com	IMAGE	Made in the USA 🇺🇸	https://www.chiassonsmoke.com/rocket-stoves	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481336442_644261734729634_8238972865438098356_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=xcqpq9l5AssQ7kNvgHB99xb&_nc_oc=Adht2-I77KdQ1P5a4fCPTHC-iit-x2uFdDEjdHZqxgT0jm9cy2DCVjycRKKW5T0l697CrYwPYyFzM97TI9dvD7k2&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AxVPer0cm8256kGu9l1duvn&oh=00_AYA8PUZ0tlaahj2DomOA_7GWYxhN-bYRd4BrZ146765AJw&oe=67C9D2F3	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Chiasson Smoke	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,728,147	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2728143}'	Yes	2025-03-02 02:54	active	2674	Get Your Free Instant Quote		GET_QUOTE	https://yourwebsite.com/	VooltPro Certified Provider	https://www.facebook.com/vooltprocertifiedproviders/	94	1969-12-31 18:00	Get Quote	yourwebsite.com	CAROUSEL		https://yourwebsite.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/480524554_1408319910189036_184244008715157812_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=yAbfDM0fz6wQ7kNvgFLcFWa&_nc_oc=AdjsKI1H382Xww3nKPFi2Q6SW-wqZ_Qfl8eu8-1Okw4GS0eECp0fFYHOEPnBhm5M7KAjHctYO2x5PDSiNIF912ic&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AaR7wrdoI9lBeEx7MgHtz1h&oh=00_AYBO_1Kq1e-h0oWsI0rhBG8i4VEmBnTUF1Ux-VbbIakZEA&oe=67C9F0C5	PERSON_PROFILE	0	VooltPro Certified Provider	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,728,315	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2728639}'	No	2025-03-02 02:54	active	2674	Use Your OTC Card for Free Vitamins and Ibuprofen!	Attention seniors! Use your UnitedHealthcare, NationsBenefit or Humana OTC benefits card at Birmingham Apothecary. Get vitamins, ibuprofen, and more. We’re a preferred provider, making it easy for you to access your benefits. Our pharmacy is senior-friendly and dedicated to serving our community. Shop with us and save on your essentials! Call us today and maximize your savings!	CALL_NOW		Birmingham Apothecary	https://www.facebook.com/BhamApothecary/	436	1969-12-31 18:00	Call now		IMAGE	We are a locally owned community pharmacy located in the heart of 5 Points South in the Southside area of Downtown Birmingham.		1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/480909630_1144493067420179_3184652009457461192_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=q3jNNN_AA-UQ7kNvgFPn39L&_nc_oc=AdiMKMMFrd9kpgA0Zk7yfH9nAQMIrAF7bt-_sVkMH99KMYdhqE-z5naoT8JRK6SlhDXJmDIGhuyf-0SfMxsk3_BS&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A2peWa5LEupW5HWus9qsAxR&oh=00_AYCZL9syjVD8RJcxaqvIJAyKd_bYiNYieFVoabZYr9J1Bw&oe=67C9DEA0	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Birmingham Apothecary	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,728,669	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2728664}'	Yes	2025-03-02 02:54	active	2674	$500 OFF CONCRETE	🌞 Spring Into Summer with $500 OFF Concrete! 🌞 Warmer weather is here—get your outdoor spaces ready with $500 OFF your next driveway, patio, sidewalk, or slab! Whether you're upgrading for summer BBQs or adding curb appeal, Skyline Construction GT delivers top-quality concrete work built to last. ✅ Licensed & Insured ✅ Free Quotes ✅ Competitive Pricing Don’t wait—book now and lock in your savings before the summer rush! Offer ends soon! 📞 Call or Click "GET QUOTE" for an estimate #SpringSavings #SummerReady #ConcreteDeals #SkylineConstructionGT #BuiltToLast	GET_QUOTE	http://fb.me/	Skyline Construction GT	https://www.facebook.com/61557768335619/	50	1969-12-31 18:00	Get quote	fb.me	VIDEO	5 SPOTS LEFT...	http://fb.me/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481042456_1715208162676529_3898836276309281053_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=O84V8TzsuN0Q7kNvgEr5nrF&_nc_oc=AdgPeNUPWa6qyepOO-XOvMLq8JIHa7ICQLPiwY1vMjaTY9-fuUc11CeGr1bu3ZDe1P-xAWAX0KmJuPEodjmvT5_n&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Adnl7L5vlhHMlulouc3rlGU&oh=00_AYARXNiu0HmnphBIazqlzYTWvBvgRG7r09rKOrMPrqyHGA&oe=67C9E284	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Skyline Construction GT	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,718,676	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2025-03-01 02:40	active	2663		🎉 GIVEAWAY ALERT + SPRING TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT! 🎉 We’re taking United We Dance on the road this spring, bringing the ultimate rave experience to a city near YOU! 🌸 ⚡️For a chance to win tickets to a show in your city: 1️⃣ Like this post ❤️ 2️⃣ Tag a friend & drop your city in the comments 📍 3️⃣ Follow @_unitedwedance_ & @breckenridgepresents  4️⃣ Share this post to your story & tag us! 📲 We’ll be selecting winners throughout the tour, so stay tuned! 👀✨ Let’s make this spring unforgettable—see you on the dancefloor! 🚀🎶 *No purchase necessary. Venue age restrictions apply (see website for details). Winners will be contacted via DM from this account only. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram/Meta.* #UnitedWeDance #SpringTour #RaveWithUs #EDM #DancefloorEnergy #rave #tour	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/_unitedwedance_	United We Dance	https://www.facebook.com/unitedwedancee/	1,611	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram profile	instagram.com	VIDEO		http://instagram.com/_unitedwedance_	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481214297_1139254197699128_899072948768408549_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=pIgIdcQl_OEQ7kNvgHeIFLg&_nc_oc=Adh1vihYPgFTMEDy9ZmkY8A6ki7IynbNop5_vpRb5f6-AvaeZT3PNj6NPLSPTtIQyVE&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&_nc_gid=Az0F8yf1z3ABCEG1LfqxCB9&oh=00_AYAI3NpvSM4cvfUsWDzN-y93Gi056vush1QH5FQbFDTcIA&oe=67C88349	PERSON_PROFILE	0	United We Dance	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,725,925	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2725917}'	No	2025-03-02 01:48	active	2672	🔥NEW POPULAR READ🔥	“You really broke up with your boyfriend on Valentine's Day, Why? I mean, was he seeing another woman?” “Technically, I was the other woman.” I tilted back the shot of tequila down my throat, the liquid causing a shiver through me like lightning. “What?!” Bella’s outburst drew the attention of a few onlookers at the bar, which is exactly what I didn't want. I sigh, hoping that anybody who overhears is too drunk to remember what I just said. I leaned my elbows on the bar and dropped my chin in my hands. Not even the throbbing dance music could distract my brain from thinking what an idiot I was. That Valentine's Day was great. A romantic dinner, followed by an excellent intimate time. I’d spent the whole of last night wrapped in Jackson’s arms. It was a night more precious to me than anything, especially since he was always so busy with work. It was nice. Perfect. Until he got in the shower and his phone rang. I sat up and stared at the caller ID, a bit confused by the name. ‘Boss Lady’. I figured I might as well pick up the phone for him, because I know how seriously Jackson took his job. He’d always have to cut dates short due to it, so whatever it is, it must be important. “Then I realized it was Jackson’s wife. He’s apparently in an ‘open marriage’” I told Bella, putting up air-quotations. “His wife even knew about me before I knew about her.” Of course, I’m just summarizing everything to Bella to spare my own dignity. The woman sounded so terribly lovesick when I answered the phone that day. Asking when he would be done with me so he could celebrate Valentine's Day ‘properly’. “She didn’t really seem all that phased when I answered the phone,” I add. “She even told me she was sorry he didn't tell me about her beforehand.” “What the heck!?” Bella remarks, and I feel a spark of validation run through me. If anyone has my back, it’s Bella. “At least she didn’t blow up at you or anything. He really never told you about her?” “Nope.” I say, popping the ‘p’. “He tried to get me to understand, apparently he never told me about his marriage because I’m too ‘serious’.” “Is he freaking serious? Oh my god.” Bella remarks, her voice high. I already feel tipsy, my body feeling warm and loose, so I don’t even mind her being loud about it. It feels vindicating to hear her stick up for me in such a vocal way. “And even after I chewed him out, he still wanted me to stay with him,” I mention, and Bella’s eyebrows shoot up. “Told me he still loved me, that we could work this out.” “Nonsense!” Bella spits. “Yeah. I threw his nonsense out of my apartment that night.” “Good freakin’ riddance. What a loser!” Bella huffs. “That’s awful, Aria, I know you really liked him.” Bella puts an arm on my shoulder, and I can’t help but wilt. I really liked Jackson. He was someone who I really could see myself marrying, after all of my previous situationships. I can’t help but lean into her touch, thankful I can rely on Bella at least. “Yeah. It's a nightmare...I was even thinking about asking him to move in, maybe get a dog and raise it together. I dunno.” “Ugh, screw that loser!” Bella spits, and I can’t help but smile at how fired up she is. “I can’t believe he lied about that!” “Yeah...” Even I could hear the wistfulness in my voice, and Bella easily picked up on where my negative thoughts were headed. “Oh no, you’re not going to wallow over a slimeball like Jackson.” Bella scoffs. “You are your own woman, Aria! You don’t need any guy to make you feel special.” “Bella...” I start, but she cuts me off. “No, I refuse to let you be sad about this. It takes you forever to get over a guy, even when they do crummy things,” She shakes her head in distaste. “You’re so pretty, I bet any guy in this bar would make out with you if you asked them!” “C’mon, Bella, don’t be silly.” I feel my face flush at the very thought of kissing some random stranger. Bella smells blood in the water though, I can see it on her face. “I mean... ugh, I hate to agree with that loser, but you can be a little...” Bella hesitates, and I slowly raise my eyebrow at her. “Serious?” “You said it, not me.” Bella takes a drink. I let out a huff. “I just... I take important things seriously! Is that a crime? That doesn't make me boring, it makes me...reliable?” I’m way too drunk to think of a good word to use. “I dunno. I just... don't like spontaneous stuff. Especially not stuff like kissing a random person.” “C'monn, Aria, live a little!” Bella smiles, pushing me a bit playfully. I lean with it, the drink making my body pliant. Despite her teasing, I can feel a smile on my face. “If you loosened up, I bet you could forget all about that loser Jackson.” “Okay, loosen up how?” I indulge her, putting up another hand to get another shot from the bartender. “I dunno, do exciting stuff! Skydiving! Mountain climbing!” “Seems like a lot of work,” I say sarcastically. “Okay okay, how about we start with what I suggested earlier?” Bella smirks, and I’m pinned by her gaze. “C'mon, I’m not kissing anyone at this bar.” I look around, and sure enough, I don't see anyone that's particularly my type. “Okay, then don’t kiss anyone here! How about...” Bella gets a wicked grin on her face. “You kiss the next person that walks in?” “Oh my god, no, no way.” I laugh at her, but I can tell from her gaze she’s serious. “C'mon! You gotta prove that loser wrong.” “What if the next guy that walks in looks like an orc?” I say. That third (fourth? fifth?) shot of tequila is making its way through me fast. I already feel like what she’s proposing isn't that much of a big deal. “That’s part of the thrill!” I throw Bella a judgmental glare which she just laughs off. “C’mon, it's just one kiss.” I know I’m drunk when I realize I’m actually considering this. What's one kiss in the grand scheme of things anyway? The worst that can happen is we get thrown out of the bar. I get my next shot and down it quickly. I’m going to need to be drunk to go through with this. I think distantly. It goes down like hot fire, and I slam the glass back onto the bar, mind-made. “Fine. But I can veto him if he’s not to my taste.” She pumps her fist in victory, and both of our eyes look over towards the door in anticipation. We watch for a bit, and I’m about to call it off when the door opens. I barely get a glimpse at the guy before I feel Bella push me off the barstool. “Go!” Bella urges. “Do it without thinking!” I hesitate for only a moment, but the drink makes me feel a little more confident. I walk over, head held high. The bar is so dimly lit, I can’t make out the guy's face. Just his cleanly pressed suit and long hair. Either way, the goal is not to think, right? So, without any hesitation, I walk right up to him, close my eyes, and capture his mouth in a kiss. I was intending to make it brief, just a peck, but he drew me in. His tongue feels electric against mine, and I am overcome with the desire to go even further, to put my hands into his long raven hair, and pull him in deeper. But while I am drunk, I’m not that drunk. I pull away before I am further tempted, my face flushed. I can’t believe I just did that! I scream internally. I open my eyes to see a really handsome guy looking back, with an expression of pure shock across his chiseled features. He seemed a little familiar, like I’d seen his face before. I’m shaken away from my admiration by another man, a blonde guy with a very short haircut. He steps between me and the long-haired guy, his face stormy. “What the heck are you doing?” He remarks, and I suddenly feel embarrassed. I feel a hand grab my arm, and I turn to see it belongs to the bar owner. This just went from bad to extremely bad! “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t catch up to her in time. You okay?” I look back at the handsome guy, and his eyes are looking me over, scrutinizing me. I notice that his suit seems much more expensive than I thought, and I can definitely see a high-end watch brand on his wrist. I feel awash with shame, suddenly realizing how badly I just messed up. Did I just... make out with some famous VIP?! Chapter 2 Did I just... make out with a famous VIP?! The handsome VIP looks at me with a questioning glare, and I quickly try to offer some kind of justification. “I-I’m so sorry!” I stutter out, taking several steps back. “I… I just…” I flounder for a moment. How the heck would I be able to explain myself? Nobody normally kisses random strangers because of a silly dare! I decide to just lie, hoping I don’t slur my words and come across as some kind of drunk sleaze. “I just thought you were someone else!” I squeak out. “It’s dim in here, I-I didn’t realize…” The VIP just raises a singular eyebrow, and the gesture alone takes my breath away. Now that I can see him clearer, it's plain to see just how unfairly handsome he is. His expression shifts to one of disdain. “Right,” he begins, and his voice demands attention from everyone around us. He looks to the bar owner, who still has my arm in his grasp. “Do you normally allow this kind of behavior in your establishment?” “No! Of course not Mr. Avarise.” The bar owner clearly wants to impress the guy. Mr. Avarise gives a faint nod to me, as if I’m nothing more than dirt on his shoe. “Then I suggest you get rid of the problem.” He says offhandedly. I feel like I should be offended for only a moment before the more rational side of my brain takes over. It was kind of an offensive move to kiss him without permission, I think, and my shame grows even further. “Certainly, certainly.” The bar owner begins to drag me off, and I stumble in his grasp. The VIP, Mr. Avarise, just gives a curt note and walks on, giving me one last piercing stare before he leaves to go towards the upstairs of the bar, followed by the blond man and his entire entourage. They’re probably going to the exclusive VIP area on the upper floor, I realize. Once they leave, the bar owner lets go of me, and I see Bella walk up to where I am. It’s right about now I noticed just how many people were looking at this entire scene. This just keeps getting worse and worse! I internally scream. “Okay, so, I can’t really kick you out over something like that, but…” The bar owner sighs, and holds up some strange-looking clips of paper. “Here are some free vouchers. If I give these to you, could I close your tab early and see you out?” “Of course!” Bella interrupts, grabbing the vouchers out of his hand. “We were just leaving anyway!” I feel myself nodding along. I am way too embarrassed by that entire affair to be sitting around the people who just saw me do that. Bella takes over closing the tab, and I cannot wait to get out of there. It's clear the other patrons were watching the entire scene, and all of my attention was focused on trying to leave. As soon as we walk out into the cool night air, Bella lets out a high, shrill laugh. “Woooow! I didn’t know you had that in you!” She hollers, and I just put my face into my hands. “That’s probably the boldest thing you’ve ever done, Aria! I’m so proud, they grow up so fast!!” Bella chimes in cheerily, looping her arm in mine as we start our drunk walk home. “I’m never doing something like that again,” I vow. “Seriously, it's just my luck he ended up being some big shot, huh!” “I know! What are the odds! It’s a shame he didn’t seem to appreciate your attention.” Bella shakes her head. “You could’ve probably gotten his number if he is less of a prude!” “Yeah, right. Anyone normal would do the same thing if a random person kissed them out of nowhere.” I assert. “I was the misbehaved one there, if anything.” “I dunno, that kiss did seem really hot, though.” Bella sighs wistfully, but I can tell she’s trying to be funny. “Perhaps in another life…. I can see it now! Aria, the rich CEO’s doting wife!” “Oh, stop.” I scoff, shoving her playfully. “If you’re done telling jokes, let’s focus on getting home. I’d rather not hear about whatever daydream fantasy you have in your head about my love life.” I wake up the next morning with a piercing headache and a lingering feeling of shame. A typical Monday morning, all things considered. I slowly go through my morning routine, rolling out of bed, getting dressed, and cursing myself for not drinking enough water the night before. It’s only when I brush my teeth in the mirror that I remember everything that happened last night, and I let out a weary grunt of suffering. I am the worst human alive, I think, shoving my head into my hands. I am never going to drink tequila with Bella on Sundays ever again!! As my headache dissipates (thank you, painkillers), I notice that another part of my body seems to be smarting as well. I peel back my shirt collar to reveal a strange-looking mark. It looks almost like a burn, my skin raised red in the shape of crescent around my collarbone. When did I get that? I wonder. Probably something I did last night and forgot about. I write it off, vowing to pick up some kind of ointment for it while I’m out, and continue my morning routine. I dress pretty casually for today, partially because I’m taking care of a large number of dogs for today and partially because I am way too hungover to wear something cute but uncomfortable. I slip on some shades and head out the door to begin my walking route, picking up the dogs I need to walk along the way. Being a dog walker isn't glamorous, it's true, but it's something fun to do to make money along with my other part-time jobs. Besides, my neighbors’ dogs are unfairly adorable, and they need someone to walk them while everyone else is away at work. I’ve always been a dog lover, so I don’t really mind the simplicity of the job. I walk along with the various dogs, feeling a bit better as my headache lessens with every step. Seeing as it's a nice day, I decided to swing by the park. All five of the dogs seemed excited to play in the wide space today, so I quickened my pace to keep up with them. That is, until all of the dogs in my care suddenly come to a dead stop. Each one of them is looking forward, ears high and on alert. I’m a bit confused by the behavior, I’ve been walking them for a while and they’ve never done anything like this. I try to determine what has them on alert, and that's when I notice an extremely large dog bounding toward us. The dog appears to be a husky, but it's huge, much larger than any husky I’ve seen. I could almost confuse it for a wolf, until it gets closer and begins to try and sniff at me. My other dogs seem scared of it, moving out of their way and whimpering, trying to be still. These dogs are never still, so I exercise caution when I put my hand out for the husky to sniff. It nuzzles my hand, and it doesn't look aggressive in any way. It doesn't really seem all too dangerous… I think. I decide to bury my hands in its soft fur, giving it a few long head scratches. The wolf, no, husky, seems happy to be given attention. “Who is your owner, little guy?” I say offhandedly, not really expecting a response. “Sorry, that would be me.” I’m startled by the shout of a deep, familiar male voice. I quickly remove my attention from the dog and spin around, coming face to face with that same handsome guy from last night running up to me. He isn’t dressed as sharply as he was last night, but he is still a sight to behold. Broad shoulders under a clean white button down, dark long pants which are somehow free of any dog hair. His long black hair is tied up, revealing graying sideburns. The sun reveals that the dim lighting in the bar didn't hide anything, he really was just as handsome as I remembered! “O-Oh, sorry, he’s, uh, pretty friendly, huh?” Heck! Just my luck! I inwardly panic, pulling myself away from his husky. I hope he doesn't recognize me! He narrows his gray eyes at me, and I’m once again captivated by that lingering stare. The hope of me remaining unrecognizable dies in my throat at his words. “Oh. Why is it you again?” Chapter 3 “Ah, right! Um…” I nervously laugh, a habit I’ve never been able to fully get rid of. This is the worst thing that could’ve possibly happened to me this morning! He barely looks at me, his attention firmly focused on his dog. “Lucas.” At just his words, the dog underneath my hand shifts, ears going straight up. He sits, ears at attention, but refuses to leave my side. Mr. Avarise seemed a bit frustrated, and I hurried to try and find some way to salvage this horrible social interaction. “I...-I am really sorry about last night,” I start, trying for a smile. “I was super drunk, and… well, you could probably tell that, I just mean-” “It’s fine.” He cuts me off, his tone cold. “R-Right.” I stutter. He seems unwilling to continue any kind of conversation, so I do what I normally do in any social situation where I’m in over my head; try to pet the nearest animal. Thankfully, the dog (apparently named Lucas) was still sitting right in front of me. I stick my hand out, eager to pet him again. Wait.” The VIP’s tone is so commanding it stops me in my tracks. I look back up at him, and he stares at me warily. “I don’t know what method you used to make Lucas run to you, but he is not an affectionate dog. He bites.” “He ran here on his own. And… he seemed fine when I pet him earlier,” I remark, and a look of surprise crosses over Mr. Avarise’s handsome features. To prove I’m not lying, I let my hands brush over Lucas’ head, and sure enough, the dog seemed right at home. Panting heavily, tail wagging, he seems extremely enthusiastic to have my hands in his gray fur. “How did you manage that?” He asks, and he genuinely sounds interested. “Lucas is… particularly picky with who he likes.” “Oh, well…” I flounder for a bit, unsure as to how I can explain. “Dogs have always liked me, ever since I was young. In fact, I’m the most professional dog walker in the area!” I try to put off a cheery attitude despite my low energy this morning. “If you need some help with him, let me know, I could-” “I don’t need to pay someone to do something so frivolous.” He states, and the words stop me in my tracks. Right, he still hates me for last night. I think. “Right, sorry.” I stop my fervent petting of Lucas, and level him with an apologetic smile. “I just realized, you don’t even really know me, and I’m here asking to take care of your dog…” “I’m Aria.” I hold my hand out, hoping that he doesn’t hate me enough to rebuke me. He stares at my hand for only a moment before taking it, his grip firm and unflinching. “Darren. Darren Avarise.” I feel a rush of relief, finally happy I’ve learned his name after so long. “Right! Um,” I took a look around, seeing how my other dogs seemed to cower away from Lucas. I feel a spark of worry hit me as I notice, and I deduce that getting them away from Lucas would probably be the wisest option, before they start getting all riled up. “I suppose I’ll let you get on with your day then!” I say, feeling a bit awkward and worried I’m taking up too much of his time. “Likewise.” He states neutrally. I take a step away from Lucas, but as I do, Lucas quickly lunges. His teeth grab onto my sweatpants, not roughly, just enough to try to get me to stay. I look down at Lucas in alarm before looking up at Darren. He seems just as surprised as me, eyes locked onto his dog. The two of them exchange glances, almost like they are having some kind of mental battle, and I can’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of what’s happening to me. “Ah, guess he really likes my pants,” I say nervously, giving a little pat on his head, and encouraging Lucas to let go. With my goading, he reluctantly lets go of the black fabric. I let out a laugh, almost unintentionally. “What a sweetheart…” I say offhandedly. The dog really was cute, even if he was much bigger than almost any other dog I’ve ever seen. As much as I want to stay here petting Lucas all day, I get the feeling Darren wouldn’t approve. “Wait.” As I begin to start walking off, I’m stopped by Darren’s commanding voice. “I… It is…rare to find someone Lucas accepts.” He says every word begrudgingly, almost like he regrets even stopping me. “What is your contact information?” “O-Oh! Um, here!” I hold out my business card, thankful that I usually remember to bring them on my dog walks. I’m completely shocked that he’s actually giving me a chance! I let a genuine smile out as he goes to grab it, my fingers mere inches from his. “That should have my email and everything,” I say, and there’s a moment he stares me down, gray eyes cataloging my face. I can’t help but blush under the scrutiny, and he quickly takes the card away from me. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a precaution.” He says quickly. “Still, I appreciate it.” He gives me one last glare before he looks back down at his dog. “Lucas, Come.” He states with his commanding tone, and the dog gives me one last look before it bounds back to its owner, seemingly full of energy. Darren quickly turns around without as much as a goodbye. “Um! Hope you and Lucas have a good day!” I let out, and Darren merely waved his hand above his head in lieu of a verbal goodbye. I can’t help thinking it rude before I write it off as him being busy. A rich guy like him probably has better things to do on a Monday than let me pet his dog all day! I can’t help but think. Come to think of it, so do I. I look down at all the dogs around me, who have perked up with energy now that Lucas has left. I quickly resume my walk, replaying the interaction in my head over and over. I can’t wait to tell Bella! After I finish my walk, return home, and take a shower, I’m still thinking over what happened. I can’t believe he actually wanted my help. Considering what a bad first impression I made, it wouldn't have been out of the ordinary if he just yelled in my face for even daring to touch him. The fact he was willing to give me a chance was a miracle. That is, if I call him. I can’t help but remind myself. I sit down at my computer, trying to put the interaction out of my thoughts for now so I can actually focus on working through my emails. Instantly, when I open up my email, one sticks out in particular. An email from that pet company I applied to ages ago! I quickly opened it up, and I swear I could feel my heart skip a beat. They actually want an interview with me! Chapter 4 I quickly began to try to get ready for the interview, mind racing a thousand miles a minute. I take the fastest shower of my life in order to wash off any lingering dog hairs. I’d applied to them almost three months ago, and received radio silence in response. It was a bit of a long shot of an application anyway, I hadn't thought I had high chances of getting in anyway. By now, I thought it was a lost opportunity, I never thought that they’d actually reply! I took care in selecting what outfit to wear. I never got to go to college, so big jobs like these were always such a long shot to get in. I could only ever get freelance and part-time jobs, which made employers think I wasn’t stable enough a lot of the time. If I was able to grab this job, it would be the exact stability I was looking for! Plus, with that stability, I could actually go ahead and adopt a dog, just like I've always wanted to. Along with the other benefits that come with stability, like an actual disposable income. I put on the best outfit I had, a red business suit with a long professional-length skirt, and hurried to the location detailed in the email. I’d run out of time trying to get ready, so I did my makeup on the subway, not even really caring about the stares I was receiving. My heart was leaping out of my throat, extremely nervous about being accepted into such a stable position. My hands twisted in my red skirt, and I couldn't help but continue to check my reflection on any surface to see if my makeup was perfect. Try to calm down, I think to myself. It’s just an advertising job for the dog-focused department. You know dogs! You’ve worked at dog shelters for years, and you’ve done excellent work with creative writing gigs. You got this! I repeated that self-affirmation over and over internally as I exited the train and headed over towards the company building. It was an imposing steel structure deep within the business area of the city. I swallowed my nerves and headed inside, head held high. As soon as I entered the modern-looking welcoming area, I felt dozens of pairs of eyes on me. It seemed like everyone around me was looking in my direction, and I could feel myself blush. Am I really that odd-looking? I think Maybe the red was a mistake? I head to the main reception area, trying to dispel my nerves. “Hi, I’m here for an interview?” I ask once I reach the main desk. The receptionists, a man and a woman, look at me in surprise for a solid moment. I dart them a confused smile, and the woman looks back at her computer, analyzing something behind the screen. The man joins her, and they both give a few suspicious looks towards me and back at the computer. “You’re human?” The man asks me. “Pardon?” I ask, but he doesn't repeat himself. I awkwardly laugh, figuring it's some weird joke. “Uh, I mean, what else would I be?” The two of them stare at me for a charged moment before they start to exchange words, too hushed for me to hear. I start to think I've got the wrong address, that is, until the woman steps out from behind the desk. “Come with me,” She says unenthusiastically, and I hesitantly follow her as she begins to walk through the complex. Everywhere we go, I seem to draw attention, eyes and heads turning to look exactly at me. I start to look at myself in the many reflective doors we pass by, but I don’t see anything outwardly strange about my appearance. Why is everyone looking at me? Am I just imagining it? I try to put them out of my mind as I’m led right up to the small interview room. The receptionist gestures for me to open it, and once I do, I see a well-dressed-looking man with a pair of large glasses on his face. The first thing he asks upon shaking my hand throws me once again. “Human?” His handshake is firm, and I try to match its intensity. I nervously laugh. They must really like this joke at this pet company, huh? I think. “Yes, of course,” I say like I’m in on the joke. The glasses on the man's face do nothing to hide the disdain. He seems almost… disappointed by my answer? “Uh, haha, right.” He says, taking a seat at his desk. I quickly sat on the opposite side, eager to really impress him. “I just want to say, I’m super thankful for this opportunity,” I say with a smile. “I’ve always been super passionate about dogs, ever since I was young!” “Mmhmm.” The interviewer isn't even looking at me, he’s on his computer, looking at something else. I’m a little insulted, but I try to carry on. “Right. Well, I think I’ve got a lot of experience for the position, I’ve done a lot of freelance writing, and with my extensive experience with your main clientele, I think-” “Look,” The man interrupted me, and I quickly shut up, mentally cursing my nerves. You talked too much!! “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think your experience is going to be relevant here.” “P-Pardon?” “Your education is also lackluster. I don’t really think you have the requirements to join our company.” His words hit me like a slap to the face. I feel a twinge of rage mixed in with my overwhelming shock. “I don’t understand,” I start, trying to keep my composure. “Why call me in if I didn’t meet the requirements? You had that information already!” “Ah, my apologies then,” he says, and I can tell he isn’t slightly sorry. He still isn't even looking at me, just locked onto his computer screen. “Our system glitches sometimes, it was probably a mistake that your resume was accepted.” “My job application was submitted three months ago,” I say, feeling more heartbroken with every second I spend in this room. “Why accept a months’ old application if you aren't even interested?” “Look, we’re very sorry, but you just don't meet our requirements. One of my subordinates must have made some kind of mistake.” I can feel angry hot tears start to form in my eyes, but before I can say another word, the door to the room opens with a slam. “I called her in.” Darren’s at the door, Lucas right on his heels. Lucas quickly ran in and circled around the chair I was sitting in, clearly happy to see me. “Do you think that was my mistake?” “Oh! Um, of course not, Alp-” He cuts himself off, looking at me. “Sir Avarise.” Darren glares at him, and suddenly the pieces are starting to connect. I sit there shocked as Lucas starts to nudge at me with his wet nose. This is when I realized Darren must be his boss, and this interview was set up right after I talked to him this morning. Did he actually want to hire me? Even though he said he didn’t want to before? And more importantly…did that mean I accidentally kissed the CEO of a multimillion-dollar pet company last night?! I can’t help but inwardly scream. Chapter 5 “My apologies, Sir.” The interviewer grabs a few papers, looking eager to leave. “I didn’t know it was you who requested such an interview. I’d never question the Alpha’s decision.” Alpha? I almost ask, but I figure it’s some weird ‘employee-at-a-pet-company’ hierarchy gimmick. These people are strange! “See that you don’t,” Darren says, and with a single dismissive nod, the interviewer leaves quickly. The two of us stand in the room for a moment, and I can’t help but let my questions bubble to the surface. “So, you’re the boss around here?” “Indeed.” He answers cooly, and I feel my temper rise “So you did want to hire me,” I say, standing up from my seat. “Why? I thought you didn’t want someone ‘frivolous’.” I couldn’t help but throw up air quotes, a little annoyed by the fact he made me nervous for no reason. He could’ve just asked me to work for him at the park, honestly! Making me go through this whole embarrassing situation left me wrong-footed. “Lucas was very taken by you,” Darren says simply, and I feel my eyebrows rise in surprise. “He became… restless, upon our return home.” “Really? He liked me that much?” “It appears so.” He seems a little annoyed by the fact. “Name a price, any price, and I’ll hire you to be his full-time caretaker.” “Well…” I hesitated, feeling off-balance. A gig like that sounded extremely tempting, not to mention lucrative. But, if it ever fell through, I’d be right back where I started with no way to support myself long-term. I pause before speaking up again; “I only applied here so I could work in the advertising department. Did you even look at my resume?” “You wouldn't have to work in this position.” Darren asserted. “It would be more trouble than it's worth, not to mention more work. All I need is a full-time dog sitter.” “Well-” He senses my hesitation, and he leaps to interrupt me. “You could be making double what you would be if you worked here traditionally. Like I said, name your price, and I will accommodate.” “Look, Darren, it's awfully nice of you to offer,” I start, looking him over. His expression is intense, and I get the feeling he’s probably used to just getting his way with a snap of his fingers. He wants me specifically, for what reason I’m not sure, but it's clear I do have some leverage here. “Honestly, if caring for Lucas is the only reason you hired me, I don’t think I can accept your deal. Don’t get me wrong; I like dog sitting, and Lucas is a sweetheart, but…” I try for a weak smile. “Well, a job with more stability and advancement is something I’ve been really searching for. If that isn't in the cards then… you might as well not hire me at all.” I begin to take a step towards the door, but Lucas stops me in my tracks. He practically howls, the sound sharp in the small interview room. I take a step back in surprise, and Lucas looks at me with shining puppy-dog eyes. He seems really distressed, and he rushes to stand right in between me and the door. I look back up at Darren, who seems lost in thought. Darren POV ‘Let Mommy stay!’ Lucas said in our mind link, sounding on the brink of a temper tantrum. I can’t help but let my frustration show through our link. ‘How many times do I have to tell you, she’s human! Not your Mommy!’ I let out a sigh outwardly. I look back at this human, her face hopeful and innocent-looking. If I were to hire her as an employee, she’d be entering into the werewolf world. Humans are not usually hired at my company, with only a few exceptions to that rule, and there's a good reason for it. Her life would be in constant danger, as no humans could ever learn of our existence. Not to mention, if she ever found out that Lucas was my son, I’d be the one signing her death warrant. She would most likely find out about Lucas the longer she takes care of him, as the date of his first shift out of his wolf form draws near. They’d have to keep up the charade that he’s just a wolf until he was much too old for it. But, I do need her. I remind myself. No one at the company can even get near Lucas, let alone seek his approval. My Beta Liam, my assistants, no one could cater to his needs effectively. And I cannot keep dragging him into business meetings or on international flights, it just wasn’t feasible. Especially once he shifts out of his wolf form, it would just be too inconvenient. He’s never liked anyone but me taking care of him. But for some reason, he likes this human, Aria. Even now, Lucas seems in a happier mood just upon seeing her. Having her help would be immensely beneficial for me and my company, not to mention my son’s well-being. I let out a mental grunt, trying to weigh out my options. ‘I can hear you thinking from where I am, halfway across the office,’ I hear the words of my Beta, Liam, in my mind through our link. ‘The human is playing hardball?’ ‘It seems so.’ I send the memory of my current conversation with Aria through the link, along with my thoughts on the matter. ‘In my opinion, Alpha, the pros outweigh the cons’ Liam sends. ‘Having her take care of him saves you time and leaves you free for business trips. The only complication would be forcing Lucas to stay in his wolf form around her.’ ‘That will be harder to maintain as he grows up’ I remind him. ‘We can cross that bridge when we get to it.’ He says, and I realize I can’t help but agree with his points. ‘Besides, if she ever does find out, we’d just have to silence her, like we have with every other mortal who found out about us. It wouldn’t be difficult.’ ‘That won't happen.’ For some reason, the idea of murdering this human sends a wave of displeasure through me. I quickly suppress the feeling so it doesn't transfer through my mind link with Liam. ‘Beta, ensure the employees are made aware of our… newest human applicant.’ ‘Right away, Alpha.’ He sends one last link before the connection is muted. I force my mind to the present, my focus directly on the shorter human woman in front of me. “Fine. I accept your terms.” I state, and the relief is evident on her face. “But, you start as an intern. If you do a good enough job here, we can start you full-time. And you will take care of Lucas when the need arises.” “O-Of course!” I see Aria’s face light up in joy, “That’s excellent. I won’t let you down!” I can’t help but feel satisfied with her ambition and determination to rise to the challenge. However, I also feel a small bit of worry enter my heart. I make a silent promise. You better not uncover our secret, human.	LEARN_MORE	https://befant.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=18672&u	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	2,466	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	befant.com	IMAGE		https://befant.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=18672&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/t39.35426-6/480528441_538009622655694_751054028500479039_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=G--_Ic0nOEoQ7kNvgEMgYbF&_nc_oc=AdgJyCH9xquBM1Ezs5dBv3UNTb2SJWZ1b1O3moBVtPh6ea17X3064GHlCSACFWCfTd8MjZOk7gD7VM2xU6qfhmYI&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Ab_29EStxrXrlquK-Se0Ull&oh=00_AYBsqNrD2J8Mu6pZcygRFAbYjY8cVxCIVkOvCNunmHgZ9A&oe=67C9E82D	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,726,478	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2726407}'	No	2025-03-02 01:48	active	2672	🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉	The brilliant lights in the hall dimmed, leaving a concentrated glow upon the stage. The bride and groom stood bathed in radiance—she in her flowing white gown, he in his impeccably tailored suit. They were the perfect picture of beauty and elegance. The background music shifted, rising into a crescendo, infusing the air with a palpable sense of excitement. The wedding ceremony had reached its peak. Deidre clasped her left hand over her right, her palms damp with sweat beneath the delicate white gloves. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, each beat echoing like a drum in her ears. She was so nervous it felt as though her heart might leap into her throat. Her gaze settled on the man before her, a mix of elation and unease swirling within her. Micah Landon—one of Salve City's most eligible bachelors, heir to one of its most powerful families—was about to marry her. It felt surreal, like a fairy tale come to life. A Cinderella marrying her prince, with all the incredulity that entailed. Micah stood tall in his sharply cut suit, his handsome face composed, his demeanor radiating charm and distinction. The unframed glasses perched on his high-bridged nose softened the sharpness of his features, lending his eyes a gentle warmth that seemed deeper than usual. "And now, let's have the bride and groom exchange rings!" The emcee's voice was vibrant, his enthusiasm infectious. A poised bridesmaid stepped forward, carrying a tray with a red velvet base upon which the wedding rings rested. Micah's gaze lowered to the open ring box, and for a fleeting moment, his calm façade faltered. His gentle, smiling expression froze ever so slightly. The warmth and softness in his eyes disappeared entirely, replaced by an unfamiliar coldness. Deidre followed his gaze to the rings, her brow furrowing in confusion. These weren't the rings they had chosen together. What was going on? Micah's hand hovered over the ring box but didn't move to pick one up. An awkward pause settled over the ceremony. The emcee hesitated, his expression reflecting the growing tension in the room. Then a shout broke through the silence. "What's that on the screen?" Heads turned toward the massive display behind them. Deidre instinctively followed their gaze. The screen, which had been playing a slideshow of their sweet, romantic pre-wedding photos, now displayed a completely different set of images. The pictures still showed a man and a woman, but the man wasn't Micah. The first photo revealed Deidre being intimately embraced by a stranger outside a hotel. The next showed her leaning into the same man in a hotel room, their bodies close on a bed. The lively background music continued to play, a jarring contrast to the now stifling atmosphere. Whispers swept through the crowd, their eyes darting toward Deidre. Daring to humiliate Micah, the powerful and revered heir, on his wedding day? And this bride, from her modest family background, had the audacity to wear such a scandalous stain on her character? Deidre felt as if lightning had struck her. Panic surged through her as she snapped her gaze toward Micah. His attention was fixed on the screen. The light from the display reflected off his glasses, making it impossible for Deidre to discern his expression. But the tight line of his lips and the vein bulging at his temple revealed enough. A cold blade seemed to pierce her chest, twisting sharply. The once cheerful wedding music now felt like a cruel mockery. "Micah, I didn't—" Deidre started, her voice trembling. Micah's gaze finally shifted to her, his eyes icy and unreadable behind his glasses. The storm brewing in them made her heart sink further. "I…" She wanted to explain, but no words came. The images on the screen were a mystery to her. She had no memory of them, no explanation for their existence. Who would do this to her? Who would want to ruin her like this? Micah's expression grew colder, a mocking glint appearing in his eyes. He didn't say a word. Instead, he glanced at the bridesmaid holding the tray of rings. He picked up one of the rings, turned sharply, and walked away. "Micah, don't go!" Deidre cried, lifting the hem of her gown as she rushed after him. She grabbed his hand, desperate to stop him. He halted briefly, turning to look at her. His lips curved in a faint, mocking smile, his voice low and biting. "This wedding…" He trailed off, his gaze flicking back to the screen where yet another photo appeared—Deidre asleep in bed, her features serene. Beside her, the same stranger propped his head on one hand, gazing at her with a tenderness that seemed all too intimate. Micah's faint smirk turned into a derisive laugh. "…is off." Each word struck Deidre like an arrow, sinking deep into her heart and leaving a searing pain in their wake. He shook off her hand with enough force to send her stumbling backward. She staggered, unable to steady herself, and fell to the ground, her pristine white gown pooling around her like a defeated flag. Chapter 2 The wedding host, visibly flustered as the groom turned and walked away, hastily gestured to the sound engineer to cut the music. As the cheerful background tunes abruptly ceased, the atmosphere shifted, the murmur of the crowd swelling into an unabashed roar of judgment and speculation. "They've been engaged for over a year, and now this scene unfolds at the wedding? Utter humiliation," someone remarked loudly. "She looks so pure, doesn't she? But clearly, she's got other, shall we say, talents that hooked Micah. Guess she practiced those talents with plenty of others. Walk along the river long enough, and you'll get your feet wet. Someone probably got fed up and exposed her. Tsk, tsk." That particular comment sliced through the air like a shard of glass, sharp and cutting. "Nonsense! I didn't do any of that!" Deidre screamed, her voice raw with desperation. Her outburst only added fuel to the fire. None of the attendees spared her even a modicum of sympathy. They were there for the prestige of the Landon family. Now that she had been abandoned by Micah, who was she to them? A nobody, someone to ridicule without consequence. "Look at her, losing her temper. How unsightly." "Exactly. Instead of finding a hole to crawl into, she's still yelling at others." "Such shameless defiance. Playing the victim while pretending to be saintly—what a joke." "If my daughter ever turned out like this, I'd beat her to death." "Let's go. The wedding's clearly over." The voices piled up, overlapping in waves of cruelty. Deidre's head buzzed with a hollow static. None of it made sense. How had the day turned into this nightmare? No. It couldn't end like this. She slipped off her high heels, hoisting up the heavy layers of her wedding gown, and ran after Micah. Outside the hotel, Micah stood by the open door of his car, flipping through some documents. The sight of him brought a glimmer of hope to Deidre's heart, and she quickened her steps. "Micah!" she called out, her voice trembling with both fear and longing. His hand froze mid-turn, but he didn't look up. Tears welled in Deidre's reddened eyes. "How can you just leave me like this? How can you believe those photos without even hearing me out?" Micah finally lifted his gaze, his eyes cold and detached, like a winter wind slicing through her skin. "One week ago," he began, his voice steady but unyielding, "Westin Hotel, Room 309. Was it you?" The precision of his words hit her like a jolt. A specific time, a specific place—her memory stirred reluctantly to life. Her breath hitched as fragments resurfaced. She had been there. It was her sister Valerie's 18th birthday party, and they'd forced a bottle of whiskey down her throat. The next thing she remembered was waking up alone in that hotel room with a splitting headache. The images from the wedding screen replayed in her mind, overlapping with her fragmented recollection. Could it be? But no—when she had woken up that morning, she was alone. There had been no one else, she was sure of it. Her silence spoke volumes. "Can't answer, can you?" Micah's voice dripped with disdain, dragging her back to the present. "I was there, yes, but—" she began, desperate to explain. "Spare me your excuses," he cut her off icily. He thrust the documents in his hand toward her. "Take a good look. No one's an idiot here." Mechanically, Deidre accepted them, her hands trembling. Her eyes skimmed over the pages—photographs, so many photographs. Many were the same ones that had been displayed on the wedding screen, but these… these included more. Her breath caught in her throat. Among the images, her sister Valerie appeared too, unmistakably linked to the events captured. "This isn't real," Deidre stammered. "I'll call Valerie—she'll explain. This is all a misunderstanding. That night—she—" Her frantic words were abruptly silenced as Micah seized her chin, forcing her to look at him. "It's over, Deidre," he said quietly. His gaze locked onto hers, unyielding. She saw her own desperation reflected in the lenses of his frameless glasses, his eyes devoid of warmth or mercy. His voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "If only you'd stayed obedient. But there are no 'if onlys.' You hid it well these past two years. I almost believed in you, fooled by that face of yours. But you're tainted. In the end, it was my mistake for thinking you could ever compare to her." Her mind stumbled over his words, catching on one fragment: "Her." Who was he talking about? Before she could grasp it, Micah let out a bitter laugh. With his free hand, he pulled a ring box from his pocket, opening it with a flick of his thumb. Chapter 3 Deidre recognized the wedding ring—it was the same unfamiliar one that had appeared earlier at the ceremony. Micah's voice broke through the heavy air, low and dripping with disdain. "You're not worthy of this ring." Her heart shuddered at his words, and pain flared across her jaw as he harshly released her. Without so much as a glance back, he stepped into the car, slamming the door shut with finality. His expression remained cold as he instructed the driver, "Drive." Desperate, Deidre chased after the car, her bare feet burning against the scorching pavement. The southern Salve City was in the grip of a relentless summer heat, but she barely noticed. The pain in her feet seemed distant, insignificant compared to the ache in her chest. She ran with abandon, her cumbersome wedding gown tangling around her legs, until she tripped and fell hard onto the unforgiving ground. Her knees and elbows scraped against the rough asphalt, bleeding slightly. She looked utterly disheveled, a far cry from the radiant bride she had been moments ago. The driver, catching sight of her pitiful state in the rearview mirror, hesitated. His foot eased off the gas, and he ventured cautiously, "Young Master Micah, Miss Deidre is—" "Did you not understand what I said earlier?" Micah's tone was sharp, cutting. "Yes, sir!" The driver stiffened, not daring to say another word. He pressed harder on the accelerator, and the car sped away. For a fleeting moment, Deidre thought she saw the car slow down. A glimmer of hope ignited in her eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it came. The car roared forward, disappearing into the distance, leaving her behind. She sat where she had fallen, her meticulously applied bridal makeup now smeared and ruined. The oppressive summer sun bore down on her, but she didn't care. Perhaps if her body suffered enough, her heart might hurt a little less. The sound of approaching heels broke through her haze. A shadow loomed over her, and Deidre slowly looked up to see Casey Landon standing before her, her elegant face frosty with disdain. Casey crouched down, bringing their gazes level. Her lips curled into a cold smile as she produced her phone, unlocking it and flipping through her photo album. She held it out for Deidre to see. "Take a good look. This is my brother's first love." Deidre's face drained of color the moment her eyes landed on the photo. The girl in the picture was young, no older than eighteen or nineteen. Her delicate features radiated joy, her hand raised in a playful gesture that highlighted the ring on her slender finger—a ring identical to the one Micah had just dismissed as unworthy of Deidre. Her breath caught. The resemblance was uncanny. The girl's eyes, especially, bore a startling similarity to her own. "This photo," Casey said coolly, "is why my brother took an interest in you." Deidre's mind reeled. 'You're not worthy of this ring.' Micah's words came rushing back, sharper than ever. "So, I'm… her—" Deidre began, her voice trembling. "Her replacement," Casey finished mercilessly. Her tone was detached, but each syllable landed like a dagger to Deidre's heart. "No… that can't be," Deidre murmured, her voice barely audible. Yet her body betrayed her denial, trembling uncontrollably. Though the summer heat was oppressive, she felt as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss. She was a joke. Right from the start, she had been nothing more than a substitute. Casey watched Deidre descent into despair with evident satisfaction, though her anger hadn't quite abated. She raised her hand and struck Deidre across the face. The slap echoed sharply. Deidre's head snapped to the side, her cheek instantly stinging with heat. A vivid red mark bloomed across her pale skin, the outline of fingers clear and unrelenting. "Today, you humiliated my brother in front of everyone," Casey said coldly. "You turned this wedding into the laughingstock of the entire Salve City's elite. You should be thankful my parents left in disgust early on. If they were still here, you wouldn't have gotten off with just a slap." Deidre bit her lip, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. Slowly, she turned her face back to Casey, her eyes red-rimmed but resolute. Tears welled up but refused to fall. "I didn't do anything to betray him," she said through clenched teeth. "Spare me the pitiful act," Casey sneered. "Who do you think you're fooling?" Her disgust was unmistakable, simmering just beneath the surface. She straightened, slipping her phone back into her pocket. With a final disdainful glance, she added, "You're just a shameless woman clinging to lies and excuses. Disgusting." Without another word, Casey turned on her heel and walked away. Chapter 4 The reporters had trailed after Micah's car for a good while, hoping to intercept him, but when it became clear that their efforts were futile, they shifted their attention. Like a tidal wave, they surged toward Deidre instead. Vincent Winsley, who had also rushed out, caught sight of Deidre slumped on the ground, her hair disheveled, her expression blank. A surge of fury erupted within him. "You've disgraced me completely!" he spat, his teeth clenched in rage. Without waiting for a response, he stormed over and yanked her up forcefully. Deidre stumbled as he dragged her toward the parking lot, his movements sharp and brimming with frustration. Like a discarded, soulless rag doll, Deidre let herself be shoved into the car. Her mind was elsewhere, caught in an unending loop of Micah's cold words and Casey's venomous taunts. A replacement. The phrase clung to her, refusing to loosen its grip. Deidre's lips curled into a silent, bitter smile. Of course. It all made sense now. No wonder Micah had believed those photos, no wonder he had so readily embraced such absurd accusations. Trust? There had never been any between them. How could there be trust when all along, he had seen her as someone else? To him, she was merely a shadow, an echo of his lost love. A stand-in needed no trust—only convenience. When she no longer suited his mood, he could cast her aside without hesitation, without remorse. After all, she was just a replacement. Nothing more. For two whole years, she had been ensnared in the illusion of Micah's tenderness, his feigned affection. Even until this very day, she had dared to dream of a future together, of growing old by his side. But now, the illusion was shattered. The truth lay bare, unrelenting in its cruelty. She was nothing but a substitute. And if she had paid closer attention, she might have seen it all along. The signs were there. The way Micah would often stare at her, lost in thought—as if seeing through her, seeing someone else entirely. The pain clawed at her chest, raw and relentless. Why? Why did Micah have to do this to her? Just because she happened to resemble his first love? Did that alone condemn her to this undeserved heartbreak, this torment? "You still have the audacity to cry after committing such shameless acts!" Her father's enraged scolding pierced her thoughts. Deidre didn't even have the strength to argue anymore. Exhaustion weighed down every fiber of her being. She closed her eyes, letting the tears fall silently. But behind her closed lids, she couldn't stop the image from resurfacing—Micah's cold, disdainful gaze, those eyes filled with nothing but contempt. Again and again, the memory replayed, refusing to fade. Her heart felt as though it were being torn apart, over and over, each tear exposing fresh wounds, each wound bleeding pain she couldn't contain. … The moment Deidre stepped into the house, pushed forward by Vincent, she stumbled through the doorway into the entryway. As soon as the door clicked shut, his palm came down hard across her face. It struck the same spot Casey had hit earlier—her left cheek—and the sharp sting of pain flared up once more, searing and numb all at once. Deidre's expression didn't even flicker. She had no tears left to shed; the journey home had wrung her dry. All that remained was the dull ache behind her eyes. She stood there like a wooden doll, her gaze hollow and detached, staring at Vincent without truly seeing him. "How dare you humiliate the Landon family like this? How dare you cheat on Micah!" he roared. There was no questioning, no attempt to understand—just an immediate verdict of guilt, a judgment passed without trial. This was her father, Vincent. He had always been like this. The rage that had been simmering within him on the way home boiled over entirely now, erupting with full force. He raised his hand again, his voice thunderous. "I'll beat you to death today. That way, the Landon family won't come after me for this disgrace!" Deidre didn't move. She didn't even flinch. She knew better than to try. It wouldn't make a difference. Another slap landed squarely on her cheek, hard and unrelenting. The pain was distant now, buried under layers of numbness. Her expression remained as lifeless as before. "Look at you! Always that dead, useless look!" Her passive indifference only fueled Vincent's anger further, like oil thrown onto an open flame. His veins bulged at his neck, his face twisted with fury. "Fine! I'll end your life right here!" He glanced around, his eyes landing on a shoehorn resting by the entryway. He grabbed it without hesitation and swung it at her. Blow after blow rained down on her, relentless and furious. The shoehorn struck her arms, leaving bright red welts on her pale skin, each mark stark and startling against its canvas. The door opened again, and Kiera Winsley, her stepmother, appeared. She took in the scene, her voice laced with feigned concern as she exclaimed, "What's going on here? Why are you hitting Deidre?" "Stay out of it!" Vincent snapped, his grip tightening on the shoehorn. "This disgraceful wretch deserves it. end her life would be doing us all a favor." "Now, now," Kiera replied, stepping between Vincent and Deidre, her tone calm yet firm. "She's still your daughter. You can't say things like that." Her words seemed protective, but her eyes betrayed her indifference. There wasn't the faintest glimmer of worry in them. Deidre's gaze drifted to the silhouette of Kiera standing in front of her, shielding her from further blows. For the first time in what felt like forever, her empty eyes focused again. Her voice, hoarse and strained, broke the silence. "Where's Valerie?" Kiera blinked, startled by the unexpected question. She hesitated for a moment before responding, "Your sister and brother took a different car. They'll be home soon." Deidre said nothing more. Without another word, she turned and walked toward the living room. "Look at her! Look at the way she acts!" Vincent fumed behind her, his rage still simmering. Kiera stepped closer to him, her voice soothing as she tried to calm him down. But even as she murmured words of comfort, her gaze followed Deidre, scrutinizing her retreating figure with a calculating glint in her eyes. Chapter 5 After a long string of coaxing and placating, Kiera finally managed to calm Vincent's seething anger to a simmer. She tugged at his arm, steering him towards their room to change out of the formal attire they'd worn for the wedding. As they reached the stairs, Kiera glanced back and saw Deidre sitting quietly on the living room sofa. Her gaze was fixed on the front door, unblinking, her expression unreadable but for the faint furrow in her brows. Kiera hesitated, then called out, "Deidre, go change into something else, won't you?" Deidre didn't move. It was as if her ears had turned deaf to the sound of her stepmother's voice. "That girl's just like her mother—a cursed woman through and through!" Vincent spat as he ascended the stairs. "What bad luck it's been to have a daughter like that!" Deidre's eyes flickered for a moment, a ripple disturbing their stillness. Her hands clenched tightly, nails digging into her palms. It wasn't long before Valerie and Johnny returned. The atmosphere in the house had barely settled when their chatter filled the space again. "What a disaster today turned out to be," Valerie muttered as she stepped inside, slipping off her shoes. She paid no attention to the figure rising slowly from the living room sofa. "I told you from the beginning—this match was doomed from the start. Why force it? Marrying into wealth, what a joke..." Johnny trailed behind her, nodding absentmindedly as she spoke. But before she could take another step, she found herself face-to-face with Deidre. Startled, Valerie took a step back, her eyes scanning the figure before her. Deidre stood there in her wedding dress—filthy, tattered, with her hair in disarray. The left side of her pale face was swollen. For a brief moment, Valerie froze, as though she'd seen a ghost. Then her expression twisted into irritation. "What are you doing, standing there looking like that? Trying to scare someone to death?" Deidre's voice was calm, so calm it was unnerving. "It was you, wasn't it? On your eighteenth birthday, you forced me to drink, sent me to that hotel. And the pictures on the wedding screen—those were your doing too." The tone carried no inflection, just a straightforward certainty. It wasn't a question. It was a fact laid bare. Valerie faltered, her bravado wavering under Deidre's steady gaze. "You… I…" Her voice stumbled, and her eyes darted away, the guilt she tried to suppress bubbling to the surface. Before she could stammer out a denial, Deidre's hand moved swiftly. The slap landed on Valerie's cheek. Johnny snapped to attention, rushing forward to push Deidre away. "Don't hit my sister!" Johnny shouted, his fourteen-year-old frame trembling with indignation. The shove was forceful, and Deidre stumbled back several steps before regaining her balance. Valerie, clutching her cheek, finally processed what had happened. Her shock quickly morphed into rage. "Even Dad has never hit me! How dare you?!" she shrieked, rushing toward Deidre with hands outstretched, aiming for her face. But Deidre caught her by the wrist, her grip unyielding. Another slap followed, sharp and deliberate. Her voice, low and icy, cut through the chaos. "You deserve it." "You… you hit me again?!" Valerie's voice cracked into a wail. But before she could retaliate, Deidre's hand moved for the third time, another slap echoing in the room. "Stop hitting Valerie, you useless freak!" Johnny yelled. He rushed over, intending to help his older sister. But when his eyes met Deidre's gaze, he froze. As a fourteen-year-old boy who had been pampered his whole life, he had never seen anyone with such a murderous look in their eyes. Terrified, he hesitated. "Stop it this instant!" Kiera's voice rang out as she descended the stairs, her heels clacking rapidly against the steps. Her sharp eyes took in the scene—her daughter red-faced and wailing, Deidre standing unmoved, cold as stone. "How dare you hit your sister? Have you lost your mind?" Vincent wasn't far behind, his fury reignited at the sight of his precious daughter's reddened cheeks. He stormed down the stairs, his voice shaking with anger. "Hitting your sister like this? I'll end you life myself!" Deidre watched them all—the righteous fury on her father's face, the manufactured concern in her stepmother's eyes, and the unbridled hatred radiating from Valerie. Her chest tightened, the ache so deep it numbed her. Valerie broke through the cacophony with a scream, her voice shrill with rage. "Yes! I did it! I made you drunk that night and sent you to that hotel! And those photos on the screen—I had those taken! You think you deserve to marry into wealth? You're nothing! A crow pretending to be a phoenix—know your place!" Chapter 6 Vincent had been spewing curses at Deidre just moments ago, but upon hearing Valerie's confession, his lips pressed into a rare, tight line. He said nothing. Deidre let out a derisive laugh, her gaze shifting from Valerie to settle on her father. "You heard her, didn't you? You know now who orchestrated today's wedding fiasco. Weren't you so eager to beat me to death earlier? Why aren't you laying a hand on Valerie now?" Vincent remained still, his brows furrowing deeper as he finally spoke. "She's your sister. Watch your tone." "And when she humiliated me in front of an entire banquet hall, did she ever stop to think that I was her sister?" Deidre's voice cracked as she shouted, her anger no longer contained. "She's your daughter. Am I not your daughter, too?" "You're the older one. You should let her have her way," Vincent said, as if his words were carved in stone. "Yes, that's always your answer. Whenever there's a conflict between me and Valerie, you tell me I'm the older one, so I have to give in to her," Deidre said quietly now, her tone steeped in irony. She stood a few steps away, staring at the four people before her, her eyes cold, filled with disdain. Her mother had passed away before she was old enough to form memories. Not long after, Vincent had remarried, bringing Kiera into their home. With her came Valerie and Johnny. In the suffocating silence that followed, Deidre let out a bitter laugh. "I'm just an outsider, aren't I? You're the real family here." Her words pierced through the thin veneer of harmony that had barely held their household together. It shattered like glass. "What kind of look is that? Don't forget, I'm your father!" Vincent barked, enraged by the unmasked contempt in Deidre's eyes. "Following the passing of your mother, you ate my food, wore the clothes I bought. Did you call yourself an outsider then? Don't think earning a scholarship every year makes you someone special. If you're so capable, get out of this house right now and see how far you get without my support! Starve for all I care—just don't come crawling back!" Kiera's eyes gleamed at his words, though her tone remained measured, even gentle. "Why say such harsh things? Deidre is only twenty, and she's still in university. You can't talk to a child like that." Turning to Deidre, she added with a hypocritical kindness, "Deidre, don't take your father's words to heart. Apologize and make peace." "Fine," Deidre replied curtly. Her compliance startled Kiera, who hesitated, unsure what to make of it. This girl had never shown her any respect before, and now, all of a sudden, she was so obedient? The thought didn't sit well. If Deidre were truly driven out of the house, Kiera would no longer have to keep up the facade of a benevolent stepmother. Yet, despite herself, she felt unsettled, as if she had just swallowed a fly. Vincent was equally taken aback by his daughter's uncharacteristic acquiescence. He paused, his expression softening slightly. Clearing his throat, he assumed a more commanding tone. "The matter with the photos at the wedding—Valerie is still young and made a mistake. You've already hit her. Let's put it behind us. If you've done nothing to wrong the Landon family, find a time to clear things up and reschedule the wedding." Running a construction materials company, Vincent's business had been thriving, especially with the Landon family connection. A marriage alliance with the Landons would secure even greater opportunities. Naturally, he hoped Deidre would still marry into that family. The thought of returning the Landon family's generous bride price gnawed at him. That money alone had already covered the cost of raising Deidre for twenty years, and then some. It could ever cover her living costs for another forty years. The idea of losing it was unbearable. "You were engaged to Micah a year ago," he continued, his voice laced with warning. "You've been a part of the Landon family ever since. If they decide they don't want you after this mess, don't think anyone else will have you." "Reschedule the wedding?" Deidre repeated, as though the suggestion was the most absurd thing she'd ever heard. She began to laugh—a deep, bitter laugh that only grew louder, carrying with it a sadness so profound it filled the room. This was her father. A man so blinded by favoritism, he had lost all sense of reason. "What are you laughing at?" Vincent snapped, his brows knitting together tightly. Chapter 7 "I'd rather never get married in this lifetime than marry Micah. Never!" Deidre stopped laughing, her face freezing over, her voice sharp: "I think you've misunderstood something. When I said 'fine,' I meant I'll leave this house, and you can all go ahead and live your happy little lives." Since middle school, Deidre had been a boarding student, and the bond between her and her father, Vincent, had always been tenuous. The estrangement between them was as thin as the paper separating two worlds. In a blended family, when there are children from previous marriages, someone always ends up hurt. Vincent's fatherly love had been doled out almost entirely to his other children, Valerie and Johnny, leaving only the scraps for her. It was like charity, barely a gesture. Now, standing on the edge of her limits, she had had enough. Absolutely enough. "Fine! Fine then!" Vincent, enraged, his face contorted, pointed toward the door and bellowed, "I'll cut ties with you today! Get out! Get out of this house—now!" "Don't worry, I'm leaving." The deepest sorrow wasn't in the confrontation itself but in the stillness that followed it. Deidre had imagined this moment countless times, but now that it was happening, she felt a strange tranquility—almost a sense of release. Like her presence in this house had always been superfluous, an eyesore. She should have left long ago. Calmly, Deidre turned and went upstairs to her room to pack her things. Kiera, thrilled on the inside, masked her joy with an expression of feigned concern and helplessness. She muttered, "Don't be so upset. Why argue with a twenty-year-old? I'll go check on her." When Valerie heard Deidre's words, the sting of the slap on her face lightened. A wicked smile spread across her face, and sweetly, she said, "Dad, you still have me. I'll be a good daughter from now on." Vincent had been angry with Valerie earlier, but seeing her with that slap mark on her face, now with her pitiful, submissive expression, all the anger drained away. His tone softened as he looked at her, a far cry from the venomous words he had thrown at Deidre. He spoke gently, as a father would to a daughter he cherished, his voice full of indulgence. "Yes, having you is enough, my dear." Johnny watched Deidre walk up the stairs, his face contorted with disdain and contempt. This burden had been long overdue to leave. Upstairs, Deidre entered her room, changed out of the wedding dress, and began packing her suitcase. She heard footsteps stop at the door. Turning, she saw Kiera leaning against the doorframe, a smile plastered on her face. It was clear to Deidre that Kiera's smile was full of unmasked triumph, as if her goal had been achieved. "You don't need to stand there. Don't worry, I won't take anything valuable." Kiera chuckled lightly. "What valuable things could you even have in this room? Compared to Valerie's, yours is barely furnished. Take whatever you want—it's all just the last little bit of charity our family has given you." Deidre eyed Kiera for a moment, then silently walked past her and slammed the door shut. Kiera raised an eyebrow, unfazed by the gesture. Her mood was too good to argue with the brat now. She turned, adopting a concerned expression, and went downstairs. … Inside the room, Deidre slid down to the floor, leaning against the door, her eyes closed, her face etched with sorrow. From this moment on, she would be alone. She was only twenty, but why did it feel as though she had already lived an entire life? She didn't want to stay in Salve City anymore. She needed to leave, to disappear far away. But now, she had no money. Where could she go? Would she ask Vincent for money? She had to keep living, to prove to everyone who had mocked her that one day, she would slap their faces with her achievements. But what other choice did she have? How could she escape this place, this city, if not through death? Her eyes still closed, Deidre's mind scrambled through every possible future, searching for some shred of hope. Then, suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind. She opened her eyes, her gaze trembling slightly. Perhaps she still had one chance left. She stood up, found her phone, and dialed her mentor's number. After a few beeps, the call was answered, and her mentor's voice, warm with a smile, came through the receiver. "Deidre?" "It's me, Professor." Deidre's voice was hoarse. "Congratulations on your wedding today. If I hadn't been abroad for an academic exchange this week, I would have definitely come to your wedding." Deidre's throat tightened, her nose burning. Her voice cracked as she responded, "Professor, I… I want to ask you something." "Go ahead." Deidre took a deep breath, summoning all the strength she had left before speaking, "Is it… possible for me to reclaim my study-abroad spot?" There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by her mentor's surprised voice. "Didn't you say you were planning to stay in Salve City after marriage? What's changed? Has your husband agreed to it?" The wedding had been canceled. She didn't have a husband. Deidre barely managed a smile, her lips twitching silently, before speaking as calmly as she could. "No… I just think the opportunity to study abroad with a full scholarship is too rare." "Yes, it is. There are only three spots in the whole school, and you were the top choice. You know, for your field—finance—the offers from top international universities are extremely precious. This means you could stay in a foreign country and work there after graduation." Deidre opened her mouth but couldn't find the words. What was there to say? She had given up a brilliant future for a man she had believed was her one true love, only to end up as a fool, tossed aside in a fleeting illusion. "Deidre?" Her mentor's voice cut through the silence, noticing the quiet on the other end. "Professor, is there still a chance?" "Well, that's hard to say. The spot you gave up has already been filled by someone else." Deidre bit her lip, and the sharp pain in her mouth made her bite down harder, blood filling her mouth. She gripped the phone tightly, her voice laced with desperation. "Really... no chance at all?" Chapter 8 It seemed that the professor had sensed the unease in Deidre's voice. After a moment, the warm, familiar tone of her mentor returned over the phone. "There could still be a chance. Let me make a call and try to secure it for you." Deidre had always been a top student. Even though she hadn't finished high school, she had been exempted from exams and directly enrolled in the prestigious university in Salve City, completing both her undergraduate and master's degrees in one continuous stretch. Her mentor, who had always kept a close eye on such promising talent, was not one to let someone like Deidre miss out on such an opportunity. "Thank you. I'll wait for your call," Deidre said, her fingers tightening around the phone, turning pale as she bit down hard on her lower lip. Her heart pounded, the anxiety spreading like fire. She waited for an answer. Each second dragged on painfully, like she was being fried alive in a pan. She gripped her phone, staring at the screen, willing it to bring some resolution. Finally, the screen lit up. It was a call from her mentor. With a nervous breath, Deidre answered. "Good news," came the professor's voice. "A spot's available, and it's yours. Deidre, cherish this opportunity. Remember, no matter what others do, your future is yours to hold in your hands. That's the safest bet." Tears welled up in Deidre's eyes, and she started to cry, her joy so overwhelming that it spilled out of her like a river. She bit her lip, trying to control her shaking voice, and spoke each word slowly and deliberately. "Thank you... Thank you, Professor." "Alright, we'll talk later. I've got a lecture to begin." The screen darkened as the call ended, and Deidre, eyes still brimming with tears, looked out the window. Through her blurred vision, she could make out the faint blue sky, the soft white clouds. The vast expanse of the heavens stretched out before her. There was a way after all. The road had not been completely closed off. … Time passed swiftly. Seven years slipped by unnoticed. In Zemenia City, a bustling commercial hub neighboring Salve City, the evening descended, and the lights flickered on in their dazzling array. In the heart of this prime real estate stood the prestigious Wilton Grand Hotel, a symbol of high society, where the city's elite gathered for their business soirées. Outside the hotel, a barrier of security personnel kept the press at bay, forcing the journalists to crane their necks, helplessly watching the spectacle from a distance. This particular business banquet, however, was by invitation only. Among the luxury cars parked outside, one stood out above the rest: a limited-edition car, the kind that only the ultra-wealthy could afford. Its gleaming body spun gracefully before coming to a halt right in front of the hotel, catching the attention of all those gathered. The door to the driver's side opened, and the man who emerged was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, the kind that made his figure appear long and sharp. He pushed up his rimless glasses, and his finely chiseled face caught the light, his lips curving into the faintest of smiles. His eyes shimmered behind the lenses, and the sight instantly drew gasps of admiration from the women in the crowd. "That's Micah Landon from the Landon Group in Salve City, isn't it?" "He's even more handsome and refined in person than in his photos!" Micah glanced around, his gaze cool and detached, masking a momentary flicker of impatience. A smile, barely perceptible, touched his lips as he adjusted the buttons of his suit jacket, walking swiftly around the car to open the door to the passenger side. A slender, pale hand emerged from the car, resting lightly on Micah's arm as a woman gracefully stepped out. Her custom-made gown, an extravagant piece from this season's collection, hugged her slender form. She smiled as she looked up, her face radiant with the kind of poise that made everyone around her hold their breath. The man was elegant, the woman, stunning. They were the perfect picture of grace and beauty, drawing all eyes. "Look! A limited-edition extended Luxury car! My goodness!" The crowd's attention quickly shifted from Micah and the woman beside him to the new arrival. Micah, too, turned his gaze in response to the sound. Soon, a tall, imposing figure emerged from the luxury car. As he looked closer, Micah recognized the man immediately—Connor Halls, the young heir to the Halls family from a country called Milwarke. But just as quickly, Micah's gaze turned to one of astonishment. Standing by the car, the distinguished and handsome man offered a gentlemanly smile, bending slightly as he extended his hand. From the extended luxury car, a graceful woman emerged. Her delicate arm raised, her soft hand resting in Connor's as she descended. Her gown, a hand-crafted European design, clung to her figure, accentuating every curve, while the blue fabric highlighted her fair skin. The simple pearl necklace around her neck caught the light, and Micah—being an expert in jewelry design—immediately recognized it: a rare, limited-edition piece by renowned European designer Laire, a treasure impossible to acquire. But all Micah could feel was shock, as the woman's appearance completely stole his attention. How could it be her? A ripple of whispers spread through the crowd as people wondered about the identity of this poised and beautiful woman. Micah's gaze finally fixed on her face, her flawless features, the delicate oval of her face framed by perfect makeup.	LEARN_MORE	https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17042&ut	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	beokn.com	IMAGE		https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17042&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/t39.35426-6/474534166_952962703474309_6928140832569371084_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=88KU-Y3BBF0Q7kNvgFUwP8c&_nc_oc=AdieEHtatdh-RkevsvKq6sVU4I4KG26P6LIYASwu6YqK3vNrhL5pjGica-iLH2xkW7c-7SUwhrqIbi823mbF8VXD&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AVGLc1w2KmxXZCqO1VqRaE0&oh=00_AYAHAQ9A9R26_14LGGX75Zm5rJ0ijCAUf6ZyeG4C22ts_w&oe=67C9EC21	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,722,354	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2722353}'	Yes	2025-03-02 00:48	active	2669	Discover the Secret to Effortless Charging!	Boarding Alert! 🛬 Need power on-the-go? Introducing the Starship 240W Power Bank - safe to use on airlines! What's stopping you from flying high with endless charge? Click now and explore our page →	SHOP_NOW	https://bit.ly/3ZYOdXO	AOHI	https://www.facebook.com/AohiGlobal/	25,097	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	bit.ly	DCO	{{product.description}}	https://bit.ly/3ZYOdXO	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/480106721_1674142663498679_981619952052074610_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=mNJa9HlMj9IQ7kNvgG90EuS&_nc_oc=AdjKcon3yJW2mAqpQvsuDiPFHADzb5F4IW498cXYg_i4GnBoP1rZuuwyokQkk2Iqg_Q&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AlWOmN3ul4kz1hc5ESA7y5J&oh=00_AYBv1ZaWzzvk9iE3YOaweptjEJTGD8spzo3E-lbDB8QjKQ&oe=67C9E6CF	PERSON_PROFILE	0	AOHI	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,729,150	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2728639}'	No	2025-03-02 02:54	active	2674	We helped 86k people	Protect your money! 💰 Scams cost us all. Let's fight back together at no cost to you! Contact us now and reclaim what's rightfully yours!	MESSAGE_PAGE		Online legal services	https://www.facebook.com/61573325595948/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Send Message		DCO	{{product.description}}		1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/482007467_632748296362569_6015837868918391221_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=2R9eSrCpp6sQ7kNvgGBrHBL&_nc_oc=AdggGTEJPHIFHHCkSsZcKxC1obFfyH7hSF8yzGat2WRBKSETZgtN9MqU0R3avZ1SWKN8MXqWn_qyB4c_lofCrfXV&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AN5xyAWiJJSbdSAfA_O_Qrq&oh=00_AYD2Ht5MyIvGRrU1NcWRViM8pTNlYtudNi52X8jJy3VkoQ&oe=67C9FAB1	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Online legal services	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

Page 523 of 541, showing 20 record(s) out of 10,811 total

Download CSV New Ads

Search

Ads for Sweeps on 2025-02-26