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Yes 2025-03-03 18:48 active 2790 0 đŸ”„đŸ”„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/ 375 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 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/t39.35426-6/475750262_1387340139343811_600164072905480081_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=htBp9djnNqkQ7kNvgHRH8x8&_nc_oc=AdgWiCa-cBHr4bHSzMzdo3EQy7_VgwuvyGARxPUvOnLpf9GSMQHOwvDJOXakiUtcunOOxbtwnbSuF9pO5Cv2BJyJ&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Aw7YdfrEJx4wOwn_IyMfB8n&oh=00_AYAVGBKF8waT4tYVu_z8cToGa0ZrrXHjUKjdjG4RZUEbAg&oe=67CC1B29 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Random Reading 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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3ć›žç›źăźă‚łăƒŒăƒ«ă§ă€ăȘăŒă‚‹ăšă€ćœŒăźć†·ăŸă„ćŁ°ăŒèžă“ăˆăŠăăŸă€‚ă€Œé›ąć©šä»„ć€–ăźç”šä»¶ăȘă‚‰ă€ăŠć‰ă«äŒšă†æ°—ăŻăȘい。」 ć„Șć­ăŻæ¶™ă‚’ă“ă‚‰ăˆă€ç™Œăźè©±ă‚’ćˆ‡ă‚Šć‡șすこべができăȘă‹ăŁăŸă€‚ă™ă‚‹ăšé›»è©±ăźć‘ă“ă†ă‹ă‚‰é‡ŒçŸŽăźćŁ°ăŒèžă“ăˆăŠăăŸă€‚ă€Œćł»ä»‹ć›ă€ăă‚ăă‚è”€ăĄă‚ƒă‚“ăźćźšæœŸæ€œæŸ»ă‚ˆă€‚ă€ ăăźçžŹé–“ă€ă“ă‚‰ăˆăŠă„ăŸæ¶™ăŒäž€æ°—ă«æșąă‚Œć‡șした。すăčăŠă‚’ç”‚ă‚ă‚‰ă›ă‚‹æ™‚ăŒæ„ăŸăźă ă€‚ ć„Șć­ăŻă“éœ‡ăˆă‚‹ćŁ°ă§ă€ç”žă‚Šć‡șă™ă‚ˆă†ă«ăœă€ă‚Šăšć‘Ÿă„ăŸă€‚ă€Œćł»ä»‹â€Šâ€Šă‚‚ă†ă€é›ąć©šă—ă‚ˆă†ă€‚ă€ ćł»ä»‹ăŻäž€çžŹă€é©šă„ăŸă‚ˆă†ă ăŁăŸăŒă€ć†·çŹ‘ă—ăŠèš€ăŁăŸă€‚ă€Œć„Ș歐、今ćșŠăŻă©ă‚“ăȘæ‰‹ă‚’äœżă†ă€ă‚‚ă‚Šă ïŒŸă€ ă€Œćź¶ă§ćŸ…ăŁăŠă‚‹ă‹ă‚‰ă€‚ă€ ćł»ä»‹ăŻă€é›»è©±ăŒçȘç„¶ćˆ‡ă‚‰ă‚ŒăŸćŸŒă€ć‘†ç„¶ăšă‚čăƒžăƒ›ă‚’èŠ‹ă€ă‚ăŠă„ăŸă€‚ 侀ćčŽé–“æ‹’ćŠă—ç¶šă‘ăŠăăŸć„Ș歐が、ăȘăœä»Šæ€„ă«ćŒæ„ă—ăŸăźă ă‚ă†ïŒŸ ćœŒć„łă«äŒšă„ă«èĄŒăă“ăšă‚’æ±șめた。 ă€Œćł»ä»‹ă€ă©ă“ă«èĄŒăăźă‚ˆïŒŸă€é‡ŒçŸŽăŒć­ă©ă‚‚ă‚’æŠ±ăˆăȘăŒă‚‰èżœă„ă‹ă‘ăŠăăŸă€‚ ă—ă‹ă—ă€ćœŒăŻäœ•ă‚‚èš€ă‚ăšç«‹ăĄćŽ»ăŁăŸă€‚ăăźçžŹé–“ă€é‡ŒçŸŽăźć„Șă—ă„èĄšæƒ…ăŻăżă‚‹ăżă‚‹ă†ăĄă«æă‚ă—ă„ă»ă©æš—ăăȘった。 ă‚ăźć„łâ€Šâ€ŠăŸăŸäœ•ă‹ä»•æŽ›ă‘ăŠăăŸă‚ă­ïŒ 玄閱ぼドケが開いたべき、ć„Șć­ăŻăƒ†ăƒŒăƒ–ăƒ«ăźăă°ă«ç«‹ăŁăŠă„ă‚‹ă‚čăƒŒăƒ„ă‚’ç€ăŸèƒŒăŒé«˜ă„ç”·æ€§ă‚’èŠ‹ăŸă€‚æ•ŽăŁăŸéĄ”ç«‹ăĄăŻæ°·ăźă‚ˆă†ă«ć†·ăŸăă€ăăźæš—ă„çžłă«ăŻć„Șć­ăžăźè»œè”‘ăŒæ”źă‹ă‚“ă§ă„ăŸă€‚ ă€Œă©ă“ă«èĄŒăŁăŠăŸă‚“ă ïŒŸă€ćł»ä»‹ăŒć†·ăŸăć°‹ă­ăŸă€‚ 「そんăȘă“ăšăŻă„ă€ă‹ă‚‰æ°—ă«ă™ă‚‹ăźïŒŸă€ ă€Œé›ąć©šć±Šă«ă‚”ă‚€ăƒłă—ăŠă‚‚ă‚‰ă†ćż…èŠăŒă‚ă‚‹ă€‚ă€ ăăźèš€è‘‰ăŻé‹­ă„é‡ăźă‚ˆă†ă«ćœŒć„łăźćżƒă‚’ćˆșă—ăŸă€‚æżĄă‚ŒăŸäœ“ă‚’ćŒ•ăăšă‚ŠăȘăŒă‚‰ă€ćœŒć„łăŻă‚«ăƒăƒłă‹ă‚‰æ›žéĄžă‚’é™ă‹ă«ć–ă‚Šć‡șした。 ă€Œćżƒé…ă™ă‚‹ćż…èŠăŒăȘă„ă€‚ă‚‚ă†ă‚”ă‚€ăƒłæžˆăżă ă€‚ă€ ćœŒć„łăŒæ›žéĄžă‚’ăƒ†ăƒŒăƒ–ăƒ«ăźäžŠă«çœźă„ăŸăšăă€ćł»ä»‹ăŻă€Œé›ąć©šă€ăšă„ă†äșŒæ–‡ć­—ăŒă“ă‚Œă»ă©ăŸă§ă«äžæ„‰ćż«ă«æ€ăˆăŸă“ăšăŻăȘかった。ć„Șć­ăŒć”Żäž€èŠæ±‚ă—ăŸăźăŻă€2ć„„ć††ăźæ…°èŹæ–™ă ăŁăŸă€‚ ă€Œă©ă†ă—ăŠæ€„ă«ćŒæ„ă—ăŸăźă‹ăšæ€ăŁăŸă‚‰ă€ç”ć±€é‡‘ăźăŸă‚ă‹ă€‚ă€ćœŒăźéĄ”ăŒć˜ČçŹ‘ă‚’æ”źă‹ăčた。 か぀おăȘら、è‡Șćˆ†ă‚’ćŒè­·ă™ă‚‹ă‹ă‚‚ă—ă‚ŒăȘă„ă€‚ă§ă‚‚ă€ä»ŠćœŒć„łăŻăŸă é™ă‹ă«èš€ăŁăŸă€‚ă€ŒæœŹæ„ăȘă‚‰ă€äœè—€ă•ă‚“ăźèł‡ç”ŁăźćŠćˆ†ă‚’è«‹æ±‚ă™ă‚‹æš©ćˆ©ăŒă‚ă‚‹ă‚ă€‚ă§ă‚‚ă€ç§ăŻ2ć„„ć††ă—ă‹èŠæ±‚ă—ăȘă‹ăŁăŸă€‚ă“ă‚Œă§ă‚‚ă€ăŸă æƒ…ă‘ă‚’ă‹ă‘ăŠă‚‹ă€ă‚‚ă‚Šă‚ˆă€‚ă€ ćł»ä»‹ăŻäž€æ­©ć‰ă«é€Čăżă€é•·ă„ćœ±ăŒć„Șć­ă‚’èŠ†ăŁăŸă€‚ćœŒăŻćœŒć„łăźéĄŽă‚’çŽ°é•·ă„æŒ‡ă§æŽŽăżă€ć†·ăŸă„ćŁ°ă§èš€ăŁăŸă€‚ă€Œä»Šă€äœ•ăŠć‘Œă‚“ă ïŒŸă€ ă€Œäœè—€ă•ă‚“ă€ă‚‚ă—ă“ăźć‘Œăłæ–čăŒć«ŒăȘă‚‰ă€ć…ƒć€«ăšć‘Œăłç›Žă—ăŠă‚‚ă„ă„ă‚ă‚ˆă€‚ă•ă‚ă€æ›žéĄžă«ă‚”ă‚€ăƒłă—ăŠćž°ăŁăŠă‚‚ă‚‰ăŁăŠă„ă„ïŒŸă€ ćœŒăŻäžæ„‰ćż«ăă†ăȘ顔をした。「ここはäżșた柶だ。ć‡șăŠèĄŒă‘ăšèš€ă†æš©ćˆ©ăŻăŠć‰ă«ăŻă‚ă‚‹ă‹ă„ă€‚ă€ ć„Șć­ăŻçšźè‚‰ă’ă«ćŸźçŹ‘ăżă€èš€ăŁăŸă€‚ă€Œçąșă‹ă«ă€ăăźæš©ćˆ©ăŻăȘă„ă‚ă€‚ă§ă‚‚ă€ćź‰ćżƒă—ăŠă€äœè—€ă•ă‚“ă€‚é›ąć©šèšŒæ˜Žæ›žă‚’ć—ă‘ć–ăŁăŸă‚‰ă€ă™ăă«ć‡șăŠèĄŒăă€‚ă€ ăŸăŸă€ćœŒăźæ‰‹ă‚’æŒŻă‚Šæ‰•ă„ă€ć†·ăŸă„ç›źă§ćœŒă‚’èŠ‹ă€ă‚ăŸă€‚ă€Œæ˜Žæ—„ăźæœ9æ™‚ă€ćž‚ćœčæ‰€ă§æ›žéĄžă‚’æŒăŁăŠăăŠăă ă•ă„ă€‚ă€ çżŒæœă€æ—„ăźć‡șć‰ă«ăŻć„Ș歐はć‡șç™șă—ă‚ˆă†ăšă—ăŸæ™‚ă€ç—…é™ąă‹ă‚‰é›»è©±ăŒă‹ă‹ăŁăŠăăŸă€‚ă€Œé«˜æ©‹ă•ă‚“ă€ăŠçˆ¶ă•ă‚“ăŒćżƒè‡“ç™șäœœă‚’è”·ă“ă—ăŸă—ăŸă€‚ă€ ă€ŒăˆăŁïŒŸă™ăć‘ă‹ă„ăŸă™ïŒă€ ç—…é™ąă«ćˆ°ç€ă™ă‚‹ăšă€æ‰‹èĄ“ăŻăŸă ç¶šă„ăŠă„ăŸă€‚ ä»Šă€ć”Żäž€ăźćžŒæœ›ăŻçˆ¶ăŒć„ćș·ă§ç”Ÿăç¶šă‘ă‚‹ă“ăšă ă‘ă ăŁăŸă€‚ çœ‹è­·ćž«ăŒæ‰‹èĄ“èČ»ç”šăźè«‹æ±‚æ›žă‚’æ‰‹æžĄă—ăŠăăŸă€‚ç·éĄăŻ300䞇憆仄䞊。 ă§ă‚‚ă€ä»„ć‰æ”Żæ‰•ăŁăŸć…„é™ąèČ»ă§æź‹é‡‘ăŻăŸăŁăŸăź10äž‡ć††ă€‚ă©ă†ă—ăŠă‚‚è¶łă‚ŠăȘかった。 仕æ–čăȘăă€ćł»ä»‹ă«é›»è©±ă‚’ă‹ă‘ăŸă€‚ ć†·ăŸă„ćŁ°ăŒèžă“ăˆă‚‹ă€‚ă€Œă©ă“ă ïŒŸă‚‚ă†30ćˆ†ćŸ…ăŁăŠă„ă‚‹ă€‚ă€ ă€Œæ€„ăȘこべがあっど――」 「ć„Șć­ă€ă“ă‚Œă§ăŠă‚‚ă—ă‚ă„ïŒŸă€ćł»ä»‹ăŒéŒ»ă§çŹ‘ă†ă€‚ă€Œă©ă†ă›ăŸăŸć˜˜ă‚’ă€ă„ăŠă„ă‚‹ă‚“ă ă‚ă†ïŒŸă€ そんăȘ 「昘じゃăȘă„ïŒçˆ¶ăŒćżƒè‡“ç™șäœœă‚’è”·ă“ă—ăŠæ‰‹èĄ“ăŒćż…èŠăȘăźïŒâ€•â€•ă€ ă€Œăă‚Œă§ă€æ­»ă‚“ă ăźă‹ïŒŸă€ćł»ä»‹ăŒéźăŁăŸă€‚ ăăźèš€è‘‰ă«ă€ć„Șć­ăŻè€łă‚’ç–‘ăŁăŸă€‚ăă‚“ăȘèš€ă„æ–čするäșșăŒă„ă‚‹ăźă‹ïŒŸ ă€Œă„ă„ăˆïŒćł»ä»‹ă€æ‰‹èĄ“èČ»ăŒ300äž‡ć††ä»„äžŠă‹ă‹ă‚‹ăźă€‚ă ă‹ă‚‰æ…°èŹæ–™ă‚’ć…ˆă«æŒŻă‚ŠèŸŒă‚“ă§ăă‚ŒăȘă„ïŒŸćż…ăšé›ąć©šă™ă‚‹ă‹ă‚‰ïŒă€ 「ć„Ș歐、äżșがèȘ°ă‚ˆă‚Šă‚‚ć›ăźçˆ¶èŠȘăźæ­»ă‚’æœ›ă‚“ă§ă„ă‚‹ă“ăšă‚’ç†è§Łă—ăŠă„ă‚‹ă‚ˆăȘă€‚é‡‘ă‚’æžĄă™ăźăŻă„ă„ă ă‚ă†ă€ă§ă‚‚æ‰‹ç¶šăăŒç”‚ă‚ăŁăŸćŸŒă«ă ă€‚ă€ ăă‚Œă ă‘èš€ă†ăšă€é›»è©±ăŻćˆ‡ă‚‰ă‚ŒăŸă€‚ ć„Șć­ăźéĄ”ă«ăŻć›°æƒ‘ăŒæ”źă‹ă‚“ă§ă„ăŸă€‚ă‹ă€ăŠćœŒăŻçˆ¶ă«ćŻŸă—ăŠæ•Źæ„ă‚’æ‰•ăŁăŠă„ăŸăŻăšă ăŁăŸă€‚ă—ă‹ă—ă€ä»ŠăźćœŒăźćŁ°ă«ăŻæœŹæ°—ăźæ†Žă—ăżăŒæ»Čんでいた。 ăȘăœă ïŒŸ 2ćčŽć‰ăźé«˜æ©‹ćź¶ăźç Žç”Łăšç”ăłă€ă‘ăŠè€ƒăˆă‚‹ăšă€ć¶ç„¶ăźć‡ș杄äș‹ăšăŻæ€ăˆăȘくăȘっどきた。 ă‚‚ă†ă—ă‹ă—ăŠă€ćł»ä»‹ăŒèŁă§äœ•ă‹ă‚’ä»•æŽ›ă‘ăŸăźă ă€‚ă—ă‹ă—ă€ćźŸćź¶ăŻäž€äœ“ă©ă†ă‚„ăŁăŠćœŒă‚’æ€’ă‚‰ă›ăŠă—ăŸăŁăŸăźă ă‚ă†ïŒŸ ä»Šă€è€ƒăˆèŸŒă‚€äœ™èŁ•ă‚‚ăȘăă€çˆ¶ăźæȻ療èČ»ă‚’äœ•ăšă‹ă™ă‚‹ăźăŒæœ€ć„Ș慈だった。 æ‰‹èĄ“ćź€ăźæ‰‰ăŒé–‹ă„ăŸă€‚ă€Œć…ˆç”ŸïŒŸă€ ă€Œé«™æ©‹ă•ă‚“ă€ăŠçˆ¶æ§˜ăŻăȘă‚“ăšă‹æŒăĄă“ăŸăˆăŸă—ăŸă€‚ă€ ć„Șć­ăŻă‚ˆă†ă‚„ăèƒžă‚’æ’«ă§äž‹ă‚ă—ăŸă€‚ 介護äșșă«çˆ¶ă‚’ä»»ă›ă€ćž‚ćœčæ‰€ă«æ€„ă„ă ăŒă€ćł»ä»‹ăŻă©ă“ă«ă‚‚ăȘかった。 ç„ŠăŠé›»è©±ă‚’ă‹ă‘ă‚‹ă€‚ă€Œćž‚ćœčæ‰€ă«ç€ă„ăŸă‚ă€‚ă©ă“ă«ă„ă‚‹ăźïŒŸă€ 「äș‹ć‹™ćź€ă ă€‚ă€ ă€Œä»Šă™ăé›ąć©šæ‰‹ç¶šăă‚’æžˆăŸă›ă«æ„ăŠăă‚ŒăȘă„ïŒŸă€ ćł»ä»‹ăŻè–„ăçŹ‘ăŁăŠèš€ăŁăŸă€‚ă€Œæ•°ć„„ć††ăźć„‘çŽ„ăšăŠć‰ă€ă©ăŁăĄăŒć€§äș‹ă ăšæ€ă†ïŒŸă€ ă€Œç”‚ă‚ă‚‹ăŸă§ćŸ…ă€ă‹ă‚‰â€Šâ€Šćł»ä»‹ă€ăŠéĄ˜ă„ă€ä»Šçˆ¶ăŻăŠé‡‘ăŒćż…èŠăȘぼ。」 ă€Œă‚‚ă—æ­»ă‚“ă ă‚‰ă€è‘ŹćŒä»Łă‚’ć‡șă—ăŠă‚„ă‚‹ă‚ˆă€‚ă€ăă‚Œă ă‘èš€ă†ăšă€ćœŒăŻé›»è©±ă‚’ćˆ‡ăŁăŸă€‚ ć†ăłé›»è©±ă‚’ă‹ă‘ăŸăŒă€ă™ă§ă«é›»æșăŒćˆ‡ă‚‰ă‚ŒăŸă€‚ ć„Șć­ăŻæŻăŒè©°ăŸă‚‹ă‚ˆă†ăȘæ„ŸèŠšă«è„Čわれた。 ćœŒć„łăŻă‚ăŁăšă„ă†é–“ă«ć…šăŠă‚’ć€±ăŁăŠă—ăŸăŁăŸă€‚ 今、ć„Șć­ăŒæŒăŁăŠă„ă‚‹ć”Żäž€ăźäŸĄć€€ă‚ă‚‹ă‚‚ăźăŻă€ç”ć©šæŒ‡èŒȘだけだった。 ćœŒć„łăŻæŒ‡èŒȘă‚’ć€–ă—ă€é«˜çŽšćźéŁŸćș—ă«è¶łă‚’èžăżć…„れた。 ă€ŒăŠćźąæ§˜ă€èłŒć…„æ™‚ăźé ˜ćŽæ›žăšèšŒæ˜Žæ›žăŻăŠæŒăĄă§ă™ă‹ïŒŸă€ 「はい。」ć„Șć­ăŻæ€„ă„ă§æ›žéĄžă‚’ć·źă—ć‡șした。 ă€Œă‚ă‚ŠăŒăšă†ă”ă–ă„ăŸă™ă€‚æŒ‡èŒȘăŻæ€œæŸ»ă«ć‡șă™ćż…èŠăŒă‚ă‚‹ăźă§ă€æ˜Žæ—„ăŸăŸă”é€Łç”Ąă•ă›ăŠă„ăŸă ă‘ăŸă™ă‹ă€‚ă€ ć„Șć­ăŻćˆ‡èż«ă—ăŸćŁ°ă§èš€ăŁăŸă€‚ă€Œæ€„ă„ă§ă„ă‚‹ă‚“ă§ă™ă€‚ä»Šæ—„äž­ă«ăŠéĄ˜ă„ă—ăŸă™ă€‚ă€ 「はい。」ćș—ć“ĄăŒæŒ‡èŒȘă‚’æŒăĄćŽ»ă‚ă†ăšă—ăŸăăźæ™‚ă€ă‚ă‚‹ç™œăăŠçčŠçŽ°ăȘæ‰‹ăŒæŒ‡èŒȘă‚±ăƒŒă‚čă‚’æŠŒă•ăˆăŸă€‚ ă€Œă“ăźæŒ‡èŒȘă€ăšăŠă‚‚çŽ æ•”ă­ă€‚ç§ăŒèČ·ă†ă‚ă€‚ă€ 顔を侊げたć„Șć­ăźç›źă«éŁ›ăłèŸŒă‚“ă§ăăŸăźăŻă€ćœŒć„łăŒă“ăźäž–ă§æœ€ă‚‚æ†Žă‚“ă§ă„ă‚‹äșșç‰©â€•â€•æŸæœŹé‡ŒçŸŽă ăŁăŸ LEARN_MORE https://heplk.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13074&ut ć„łăźć­ăŒèȘ­ăżăŸă„氏èȘŹă‚’性ç‰č集 https://www.facebook.com/61559954921868/ 147 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 heplk.com VIDEO https://heplk.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13074&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/t39.35426-6/480221394_1784624222328697_538309886917579321_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=0xnOQDkKvPoQ7kNvgEtrBTT&_nc_oc=AdgAY4dHbq3eqR8eDY_sGvTIAmWDymbzL4UlTJePjF2Gj4dLfRYroQUlyO4YnAs4RKvsYUpxA_sgfnSAQgKJ4Oua&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=ASRDCwNmXG4xlu1vXvM-d9z&oh=00_AYDKknjtuBmEKQITOPMtYscO-dy7NnPXKW9Itdrw5pRIVg&oe=67CC322B PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 ć„łăźć­ăŒèȘ­ăżăŸă„氏èȘŹă‚’性ç‰č集 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:51 active 2790 0 Gospel Reflection for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel Reflection for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sir 27:4-7/1 Cor 15:54-58/Lk 6:39-45 (84) By Sr. Marites N. Perez, SJBP Pastorelle Sisters-Saipan Pastoral Associate, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands MESSAGE_PAGE Diocese of Chalan Kanoa https://www.facebook.com/dioceseofchalankanoa/ 7,336 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Send message 0 VIDEO 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481205072_1337485181004429_6088649119051770182_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kBnBX7Je7pwQ7kNvgFlD_2h&_nc_oc=AdiG3mOEjXmVyhGTmEpOO7Qp-xBrn0ju4EwqXLvwPVBW5SAZOw4d2aXKaEZkd7_j1QfTpfAUmz8UJj_KKRnrCylg&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AC7AusyXIUo6eqfE-zcL5P9&oh=00_AYAdvV5qJI0NK2zzfqPxUQs2yVrXUgCyJnIi2Wkc3PwpiA&oe=67CC2C8D PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Diocese of Chalan Kanoa 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:54 active 2790 0 Kelly Creek Lawn Service Here are 3 reasons why pre-spring scalping is beneficial for your lawn. 1. Removes dead growth, thatch, and debris. 2. Allows airflow and beneficial nutrients to reach the soil. 3. Exposes the soil to sunlight ☀ which encourages a quicker green-up đŸŒ± and promotes a healthier lawn! Don’t wait — Call 📞 us today to be on the way to the quickest green up on your street! 205-577-9020 NO_BUTTON https://facebook.com/61552375897896 Kelly Creek Lawn Service https://www.facebook.com/61552375897896/ 81 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 No button 0 IMAGE Proudly serving Moody, Trussville, and surrounding areas! Contact us today for a free quote! 205-577-9020 Residential & ïżŒCommercial Licensed & insured https://facebook.com/61552375897896 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481447068_608196118696916_235756514353673853_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Pg6cx8KcY18Q7kNvgG3-row&_nc_oc=AdjS2T0xYdUK_1aElyXcvk7HsMQ-Z2HXq4JArzIyJpKA3aRj4xtT0iuuz8m0Lr0Czns6ITAq06h_AXVsjxYDNh3d&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A3IAi_BGGmSYvaeJEFnTdRW&oh=00_AYAcNvDhizp2UVnNmM7AteWGQQStFH7Lsg6KPethiO8_ZA&oe=67CC3923 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Kelly Creek Lawn Service 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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Yes 2025-03-03 18:48 active 2790 0 Discover More LEARN_MORE https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/discover-ccpl Cuyahoga County Public Library https://www.facebook.com/CuyahogaLib/ 36,751 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn More 0 cuyahogalibrary.org CAROUSEL https://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/discover-ccpl 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481158390_1651286205518147_3232083618972218950_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=k4HDt7W6QA4Q7kNvgHHjI7j&_nc_oc=Adj3BNeBaRwrpqRx3flyrFU9Iw2iKwJd74jcOQTMMl83xGQOEujhh3sTe1av7GD7s7wnb8cmjW-wLS1zHt_lkPRU&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AgSFmTAr--PxyTNfRZOd7n1&oh=00_AYClaWOL_KlowRCvFMq6vzbbONkfanth1J9RhMGvnpEu0Q&oe=67CC3027 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Cuyahoga County Public Library 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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Yes 2025-03-03 18:27 active 2789 0 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/ 362 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 fbweb.moboreader.net IMAGE https://fbweb.moboreader.net/65282322-fb_contact-enp26_6-1226-core3.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=2030515880733998&exdata=0B24339BE5D28C474C4F5FA1B4A90F5ED79F6CA6DEF2BA81 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481457480_621792083920969_4852161482046807127_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ysDbSPhavkAQ7kNvgHZtNgF&_nc_oc=AdgSWpC-OjF6YflJZqNBEyN46Y_krYgFa23VkQKrju6mNg_yRso2qPlgXdO7LnpGl6FB5IPfVge4Sz7vw6BCJZcA&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AM--rvGiPhWHL6qw1ijI4Mt&oh=00_AYDt4hPrpCYwaljQAStAlouG0L3W_RgePRInZn9BNLE_cA&oe=67CC0386 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Lime novel-E 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:49 active 2790 0 đŸ”„Your Next Book Boyfriend! Waking up in Vegas next to a rockstar I hate is bad. Finding a ring on my finger—even worse. Sam Ryder is everything I shouldn’t want—arrogant, infuriating, and way too charming. He’s my brother’s best friend, my exact opposite, and the man who kissed me then walked away. One wild Vegas night and an entire bottle of champagne later. I don’t remember tying the knot. Now, he calls me cupcake, like he owns me. When my brother hires me to manage the band, I should say no. After all, his bass guitar player is the man I’m technically married to. But now, I’m stuck with Sam’s ridiculous nicknames, wicked smiles, and magic fingers. I can’t seem to stay out of his bed—or his life. I know we should end it. I want my freedom. Instead, I’m left with a baby on the way and a husband I can’t resist. Continue Reading - FREE with Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV3W5L6J LEARN_MORE https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV3W5L6J Kelly Thomas https://www.facebook.com/100092267142796/ 103 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV3W5L6J IMAGE 💔 From Enemies to Lovers! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DV3W5L6J 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481445023_2699176410276295_2198143468568331984_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=lkA13L7lH58Q7kNvgHZm4Y3&_nc_oc=Adj4l89ScNDOxYBT485dkdC8n7oH611mbcF72SLUwaOmHtnDTw2BHN5j71Q1GqsHgvseQ7hkmE90n3PqkvlzeRWw&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AaVTl3arWYGEbu35Vi0mCeD&oh=00_AYB3jkgE0ho1lvAngSPf_tmYYzzxi51eKmIqgO-xWoMX2g&oe=67CC1293 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Kelly Thomas 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 19:09 active 2791 0 😍Read the next chapters👉 After signing the agreement, Isabella Jones stepped out and happened to catch a live interview with Samuel Grant on the news. The host asked, "Mr. Grant, you're so young and accomplished. What's your secret to success?" Samuel raised his left hand and pointed to the wedding ring on his ring finger. "The secret is simple. I have a wonderful wife." The host blinked in surprise. "Oh? I thought you'd share some insights about the industry and your future plans instead." "That's not important. All the wealth I have right now doesn't compare to even a single strand of my wife's hair." "Wow, I really envy your wife
" On the screen, Samuel glanced at his watch, then smiled at the camera. "Sorry, we'll have to pause the interview for a moment. Time's almost up. I'd like to use this live broadcast to say something to my wife." "Of course, Mr. Grant. Go ahead." Samuel's voice softened. "Bella, I just had someone bring you some ginger tea with honey. It should be arriving soon. Drink it and get some good rest. I'll give you a massage when I get home." Around her, a few young women gathered, watching the live broadcast on the big screen. They couldn't help but murmur in envy. "Who is Mr. Grant's wife? To have a man like him so completely devoted
" "That's so sweet! He dotes on her so much! Ugh, I'm so jealous!" The sound of admiring voices filled Isabella's ears. Yet, the person in question remained silent, smiling mockingly. Everyone thought she was the lucky one, that in a past life, she must have saved the entire galaxy to have married a man like Samuel. She used to think so too. But no one knew that Samuel had another woman on the side. They had been married for five years, and for four and a half of them, Samuel had been seeing this other woman. Every time he said he was on a business trip, he was really with her, indulging in passion and unrestrained affection. Isabella still remembered the first time she had seen those videos. Her heart felt like it had been pierced a thousand times with needles—pulled out and stabbed again and again. By the end, it was shattered and broken beyond repair. She also remembered when she was bullied in school. Samuel had stepped in, shielding her from the torment and fiercely teaching the bullies a lesson. He had told her, "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you from now on." There was another time, when they were driving, and an out-of-control truck came barreling toward them. Samuel's first instinct was to throw himself in front of her, shielding her with his own body. He ended up in the hospital for over six months, barely surviving, almost becoming a vegetable. When he finally woke up, his first words were to ask the nurse, "Is Bella okay?" When the nurse confirmed she was fine, he let out a sigh of relief and said, "As long as Bella is fine, it doesn't matter what happens to me." That was the moment Isabella truly fell in love with him—the man who would risk his life to protect hers. She didn't understand it. How could Samuel claim to love her while shamelessly sleeping with another woman? Was it true that men could separate love from desire? Isabella gently touched the wedding ring on her finger before taking it off. She walked past a disabled beggar sitting by the roadside, his empty tin cup containing only a few coins. Isabella approached him and dropped the ring into his cup. "Sell this. The money from it will be enough to buy a house and start a small business." The beggar thanked her repeatedly. In truth, Isabella had put it rather mildly. The ring was a custom design by a foreign jeweler, and the diamonds alone were worth millions. But now, she didn't want it anymore. If a wedding ring symbolized love and loyalty, then her wedding ring was worth nothing right now. Her phone rang—it was Samuel. "Bella, where are you? The person with the ginger tea and honey came to the house, but you weren't there." His voice was urgent, like he was genuinely worried about her. Isabella replied flatly, "I just stepped out for a walk." "Where are you now? I'll come pick you up right away." "No need, I'll be home soon." "No, you're on your period. I can't just leave you alone." Samuel arrived within five minutes. He rushed out of the car, quickly removed his coat, and draped it over her shoulders before pulling her into his arms. "Why are you dressed so lightly? You can't get cold when you're on your period." As Isabella looked up at him in his embrace, she noticed several fresh, red marks around his throat. They were recent. There were also teeth imprints. His clothes smelled faintly of a woman's perfume. So, he had just left Jennifer Lewis's bed before heading to the interview. As Samuel gently rubbed her fingers, he suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Bella, where's your wedding ring?" Chapter 2 Isabella pulled her hand out of Samuel's grasp. "Maybe I lost it when I left the house this morning." Samuel immediately reached for his phone to dial a number. "I'll have someone go look for it right now." Isabella shook her head. "No need. Just consider it lost." "How can you just let it go? This ring is our wedding ring—it's proof of our love." Proof of their love? Their love had already been shattered beyond recognition by his countless betrayals. Isabella laughed softly. "It's just a piece of jewelry. It doesn't guarantee love." Samuel insisted, "Diamonds are the hardest thing on Earth. It represents my unchanging heart for you." "And what if one day, you betray me?" "That's impossible." "I'm asking, what if?" Samuel looked at her, his gaze sincere, even solemn. He swore, "If I ever betray you, let me be pierced by a thousand arrows and die a painful death." Isabella turned her face away, not wanting to see the fake earnesty in his eyes. Back when she still loved him, hearing him make such an earnest vow would've made her rush to cover his mouth, worried that she was pushing him too far, forcing him to swear like that. But now, she didn't love him anymore, and his words only sounded like a joke. "Bella." Samuel wrapped his arms around her from behind, his voice tinged with a hint of complaint. "Why do I feel like something's off lately? You've been so distant." "I haven't." "You have," he insisted. "Bella, is it because I've been too busy and haven't had time for you? Are you upset with me?" "I told you, I'm not," she said. "Let go of me." "I won't," he said, pulling her closer. "Next week is our fifth wedding anniversary, Bella. I've prepared a surprise for you..." Just then, his phone rang. Samuel immediately released her and pulled out his phone, glancing at the screen. From Isabella's point of view, she saw him smirk, a mischievous glint in his eyes, as his gaze on the screen turned suddenly suggestive. He quickly typed a reply. Then, he looked at her with a slight apology and said, "Bella, there's an urgent matter at the company. I need to head out right now." There was still a flicker of hope inside Isabella. "When will you be back?" Samuel wrapped an arm around her, kissing her gently on the forehead. "I might not be back tonight. But tomorrow morning, I'll bring you your favorite pastries, okay?" Just like that, he was gone. His tablet was still on the couch in the living room. Isabella picked it up, noticing that his WhatsApp was still logged in. Two minutes ago, a woman under the name "Little Tease" had sent him a picture. The woman was dressed in a bunny girl outfit—black fishnet stockings and bright red high heels. Her eyes were half-lidded, her cheeks flushed, and she was licking her fingers seductively. Samuel: Want more? Little Tease: It's so lonely and empty when you're not here, Master. Samuel: I gave you love seven times today. Isn't that enough? Little Tease: Are you coming over, Master? I'm yours tonight, do whatever you want
 Samuel's reply was short. Samuel: I'm coming. Isabella turned the tablet off, her heart sinking as she closed her eyes in pain. She thought she had stopped caring, but seeing those messages again felt like a brutal punch to the gut. Tears rolled down her cheeks, hot and relentless. She didn't know when she fell asleep, but all she could remember was dreaming of a man and a woman rolling in the sheets together. The man's face was Samuel's. Just then, her phone vibrated. She opened it to find a video. The scene in the video mirrored the one in her dream perfectly. The man and woman were passionately tangled together, even more intensely than in her dream. Samuel's face was twisted in lust, and she felt nothing but disgust. Jennifer: Have you ever seen him like this? He says he can only let himself go like this with me. The short, one-minute video quickly ended. And then, it looped. Again, and again. Isabella watched it like it was some kind of self-inflicted punishment, over and over again. She needed to make herself see Samuel for what he was right now, to strip away the last shred of love she had for him, and finally drive him out of her heart. Her lawyer had already drafted the divorce papers. She wiped away her tears, then carefully placed the divorce papers into a delicate gift box and tied a ribbon around it. Samuel didn't return until the next afternoon, carrying a box of pastries. "Sweetheart, I promised to bring you these—your favorite pastries. Aren't you happy?" Isabella gave him a distracted hum. Noticing the redness around her eyes, Samuel gently cupped her face, kissing away the tears. "Why are you crying? Who upset my precious wife? Tell me, and I'll make sure they pay for it." He still carried that sickly-sweet scent of someone who had just indulged in an affair, mixed with the faint traces of another woman's perfume. It made her stomach churn. Isabella pushed his hand away, creating some space between them. "No one," she replied flatly. "I just watched a really touching movie last night." Samuel pulled her into his arms, his voice full of concern. "Don't watch them alone anymore. Let me watch them with you next time." Watch with her? He was too busy giving all his time to Jennifer. Isabella suddenly wanted to ask him if he even had time to spend with her anymore. Samuel pointed to the delicate gift box on the coffee table, his face lighting up with surprise. "Bella, is this for me?" Isabella nodded. "You said you had a surprise for me for our fifth wedding anniversary, right? Well, I have a surprise for you, too." Samuel looked thrilled, holding the gift box like it was the most precious thing. "Can I open it now?" Isabella said. "Our anniversary is a week from now. You can open it then." Chapter 3 Samuel thought for a moment, then nodded with a patient smile. "Okay, let's open our surprises together. It'll be more meaningful that way." Isabella suddenly had the urge to see Samuel's reaction when he found out she had passed away and when he saw the divorce papers after. Would he be shocked, confused, or... surprised? Samuel, ever the charmer, tried to cheer her up. "I heard there's a good movie out. How about I take you to see it?" Isabella wasn't interested, but the theater he mentioned was right next to their old high school. It was the place where he had confessed his love to her for the first time. Back in their school days, they spent countless romantic, sweet moments on the street behind the school. It was a place that witnessed the happiest days of their love. Since that was where it all began, it might as well be where it ended. When they arrived at the theater, it was a little crowded. Samuel wrapped his arm around her protectively, pulling her close to shield her from the pressing crowd. Among the crowd, a few young women recognized them. "Hey, isn't that Mr. Grant? The woman he's holding is his wife, right? She's so beautiful!" "How does someone like Mr. Grant even exist? He's so handsome and devoted." "They're such a perfect match. They really do look amazing together." Samuel continued to protectively lead her to their seats. Then, he carefully helped her out of her jacket and held it for her. The theater manager, Isaac Smith, approached them with a wide grin, carrying a hand warmer and a cup of ginger tea with honey. "Mr. Grant, we heard that Mrs. Grant is going through a special time right now. We've prepared these just as you asked. Please let us know if you need anything else." Samuel took the items from him. He placed the hand warmer on her belly, and then handed her the tea. "The temperature's just right. Would you like a sip, Bella?" Isabella mechanically accepted his care, remaining silent the entire time. Samuel frowned slightly, then turned to Isaac. "Go and get some snacks, but nothing too greasy, spicy, or sweet. Bella doesn't like those." "Of course, Mr. Grant, I'll be right back." Isaac hurried off. The movie's opening credits began on the big screen. Just then, a woman approached Isabella's side and quietly said, "Excuse me, my seat is inside. Could you please let me through?" The lights in the theater had already dimmed, and Isabella didn't immediately realize what was happening. She quickly moved aside, letting the woman pass. It wasn't until the woman walked past her and then Samuel, finally settling in the seat next to him, that Isabella understood. She suddenly realized that the voice she had just heard was so familiar—it was the same voice from the video. The woman was Jennifer, the same girl who had been tangled up with Samuel in the video. At the next moment, the cup in Jennifer's hand tilted. The entire drink spilled across Samuel's stomach. "Oh, sorry... I'm so sorry!" Jennifer apologized, fumbling for a napkin from her bag to help him wipe it off. The dampness was on his stomach, but her hands kept sliding down, pressing in places that made Isabella's stomach churn. At the same time, Isabella could clearly feel the arm around her shoulders suddenly tighten. Along with that, his whole body tensed up. Out of the corner of her eye, Isabella glanced at Samuel's lower part. Jennifer's hand was underneath, with Samuel's hand firmly pressing down on hers, his gaze seeming to warn her not to cause trouble. But Jennifer continued to act as though nothing was wrong. She continued smiling and wiping. "Sir, how about I just buy you a new pair of pants?" "No need," Samuel's voice had turned rough and strained. The movie started. It was an animated film—the animals were cute, and the plot was funny. But Isabella couldn't focus on it at all. Ten minutes into the movie, Samuel suddenly stood up. "Bella, Isaac doesn't know what snacks you like. I'll go check." He still held her coat in his hand, draped over his forearm, covering the obvious state on the lower half of his body. As he walked away, Jennifer stood up as well and followed him. When she passed by Isabella, she flashed a disdainful smirk and shot her a quick glance. The look seemed to say: See? He chose me. Five minutes later, Isabella received a text: [Women's restroom.] She quickly left the theater and headed to the restroom at the end of the hallway. From the first stall in the women's restroom, she could hear muffled groans and faint pleas—no doubt Jennifer's voice. And the man's voice... Isabella knew it all too well. She stood frozen, rooted to the spot, unable to move. The noise from the stall grew louder, and the woman let out a sharp cry. Then, Samuel's mocking voice came, "Is that all you can handle? You chased after me to the theater, and this is how you perform?" Jennifer whimpered, and it was hard to tell if she was crying or laughing. "I miss you... I just can't stand seeing you with her." Samuel's tone cooled slightly. "I can give you everything else, but our affair can't be dragged in front of Bella. You've crossed the line tonight." "Okay, I get it. But don't you think it's exciting to be in a dark theater like this? It's a thrill." He chuckled softly. "It is a bit." "Then
 should we continue tonight?" His voice was hoarse and strained. "I'll buy tickets in a bit for the midnight show." "Make sure it's the last row, okay? That way we won't have to hide in the bathroom... We can just be in our seats
" Not far off, Isaac hurried over. But he wasn't holding snacks—he had a small square box in his hands. He quietly called out near the women's restroom door, "Mr. Grant, I've bought the thing you asked for." The noise inside finally quieted for a moment, and Samuel appeared at the door. Isabella quickly stepped behind a pillar, her heart racing. Samuel chuckled lightly. "That was fast." "Of course, the movie's short—only three hours. Can't waste a moment of your special time," Isaac replied. Samuel sounded pleased. "Take good care of Bella. Don't let her notice anything unusual, understood?" "You can count on me, Mr. Grant. Mrs. Grant is so innocent. Women like her are easy to please—she'll believe anything you tell her." Isabella fled as if running for her life. Back in her seat, she let herself cry for a few minutes. But then, she forced herself to stop. This was the last time. This was the last time she would cry for Samuel. But it wasn't really for him. It was for the pure-hearted boy in her memories, the one who had only eyes for her. The man with her now was nothing like that boy anymore. And since he wasn't, she wouldn't hold onto him anymore. Chapter 4 Samuel didn't return until the movie was almost over. He still smelled of that sickly-sweet, pungent scent. In addition to that, he brought a box of popcorn. "Bella, I'm sorry I'm late. The popcorn machine broke down at the theater, and they spent forever fixing it. It's freshly made, though. Eat it while it's warm." Isabella waved her hand. "I don't want any." "Not even the ginger tea with honey?" "I don't want it." "Alright, no food, no drink, then. Let's just watch the movie." Isabella scoffed. "The movie's almost over." "It's all that technician's fault. He took so long to fix the machine." "So, for the last three hours, you've just been waiting for him to fix it?" Samuel nodded earnestly. "Yes. Isaac can vouch for me. If you don't believe me, you can ask him." "No need," Isabella said, grabbing her bag and walking away. Samuel hurried after her, holding her coat and the popcorn. "Bella, just tell me what I did wrong. I'll change, okay? Don't ignore me. I'm scared." "Scared of what?" "Scared that you don't love me anymore." Isabella stopped and turned to face him, looking straight into his eyes. It was he who had betrayed their relationship first. It was he who said one thing and did another. It was he who stopped cherishing her. Since that was the case, she decided to take back everything—her heart, her trust, her love
 And her body. She had given a piece of her clothing to Fauxlife Solutions, the agency that was faking her death. She had torn it up, then bit her finger and smeared the blood on it. A week later, he would receive that bloody shirt. And she? She would be gone from his life forever. "Bella, why aren't you saying anything?" Isabella exhaled deeply, her voice flat. "It's just my period. I'm a little tired." "Let me take you home to rest." "Okay." On the way home, Samuel kept trying to talk to her, telling her jokes. But Isabella only responded with, "I'm a bit tired. I want to rest." With that, Samuel fell silent. When they arrived home, he walked her to the bedroom. Isabella asked, "Are you still going to the office tonight to handle work?" Samuel hummed in acknowledgment. "There are a few things left to do. I didn't finish them yesterday, so I'll need to work late tonight." "Then you should go." Isabella turned her back to him as she lay down, sending a silent signal for him to leave. Samuel stood still, not moving. He seemed to sense that something was off, but couldn't quite figure out what was wrong. Isabella suddenly had the urge to play a little prank. She turned to him and said, "Can you not go tonight?" Samuel visibly relaxed. She still depended on him, still acted a little spoiled, and still wanted him close. That meant she hadn't discovered anything. He smiled gently. "Sweetheart, I've already made plans. The executives are all waiting for me. But next week—next week, I'll make time to spend with you, okay?" "Next week?" "Yeah. Isn't next weekend our five-year anniversary? I'm planning a grand ceremony to let everyone in Herswick City know that you're the woman I love most in this life." A grand ceremony? Isabella smiled. That made it all the more exciting. "Alright, then. Go ahead." "You're such a good girl, Bella. I'm leaving, then. It's about time for the meeting, and I can't keep them waiting." Was he in a rush to not keep "them" waiting, or to not keep "her" waiting? Samuel hurried out. The tablet on the couch began vibrating again. They were in touch once more. Samuel: Are you ready? Jennifer sent a picture. This time, she was in a nurse's uniform. Of course, not the proper kind—what should be exposed was, and what shouldn't was also exposed. Samuel: I'll make sure you scream tonight. Isabella turned off the tablet and began gathering her things. Her clothes, her purse, her shoes—everything Samuel had ever given her over the years. Then, she went into the closet and continued pulling things out. Her hand paused for a moment when she touched a metal box. Inside the box were the letters Samuel had written to her—there was a thick stack of them. When they first got together, he wrote, [From today, Bella is my one true love.] On his birthday, he wrote, [My birthday wish is to spend a lifetime loving Bella and growing old together.] For Isabella's 20th birthday, he wrote, [My darling Bella is of legal age now, I can't wait to marry you.] On their wedding day, he wrote, [To the most beautiful and lovable Princess Bella, welcome to my world.] Isabella didn't care to look at the rest. She took all the letters outside and burned them, letting the fire consume them completely. The next morning, she was woken by the sound of Samuel entering the room. He sounded angry. "Bella, our wedding ring was stolen by a beggar, and he sold it at a pawn shop!" Isabella felt a pang of disappointment. How did he find it? "And he sold it for only 10,000! It's such an insult to our ring!" He came over, took her hand, and tried to put the ring back on her finger. "Now, let's return it to its rightful owner
" Isabella pulled her hand back, refusing to wear the ring again. Samuel seemed confused. "Bella, what's wrong?" "It's nothing, I just... I've gained a bit of weight recently, and the ring doesn't fit anymore." Samuel laughed. "That's okay. I'll take it to the jeweler to resize it for you." "Whatever," Isabella replied, then asked, "You didn't do anything to that beggar, did you?" Samuel came closer and hugged her. "Don't worry. I know how kind-hearted you are, Bella. You wouldn't want to see the beggar suffer. I didn't hold him accountable." "Maybe we should give him some more money. He's pitiful." "Alright, I'll give him another 10,000 later." Just then, Isabella's phone rang, and she answered it. "Hello, Ms. Jones, this is Fauxlife Solutions. We've completed the new identification documents as per your request. Are you available to pick them up?" "Sure, send me the address." "I'll send the location to your phone shortly." "By the way, will the new documents allow me to purchase flight tickets?" "Don't worry, they will be fully valid for that." "Okay, thank you." After Isabella hung up the call, Samuel suddenly seemed anxious and wrapped his arms around her. "Bella, what's this about new documents? Flight tickets? Are you leaving? Where are you going?" Chapter 5 Being held by Samuel used to feel like happiness. But now, Isabella only felt discomfort. She broke free from his embrace and stepped away from him, putting a few paces between them. Samuel seemed even more panicked and rushed after her. "Bella, do you want to go on a trip? Next week, I promise I'll clear my schedule and spend all my time with you. Don't be mad. Don't leave me, okay?" Isabella only felt a cold emptiness inside. The man who was begging her not to leave, pleading like this—was he the real Samuel? Or was it the man she had seen on the video, tangled up with Jennifer? Isabella couldn't tell anymore. But it didn't matter. Soon, she would leave him forever. Whether she knew which version of him was real, it wouldn't make any difference. She spoke flatly, "You're overthinking. Didn't you say we're having a ceremony for our anniversary?" Samuel still didn't believe it and continued to pester her. "But what about the new documents you mentioned? What documents did you get? You even asked about flight tickets." "It's for a classmate of mine. She lost her documents and couldn't buy a ticket. She needs to get new ones." "Which classmate?" "
You don't know her." "I know all your classmates." Isabella changed the subject. "Enough about me. What about you? Did you finish everything at work last night?" "Almost." Before he could finish, his phone rang again. Isabella was already used to Jennifer calling him and dragging him away. No matter what, Samuel was going to leave. So, she walked away and sat on the couch to wait. She heard Samuel's quiet reprimand. "I've told you already, don't call me when I'm at home!" On the other end of the phone, she could hear a woman crying softly. Then, Samuel sneaked a peak at Isabella guiltily. "
Fine. I'll come over now." After hanging up, Samuel hesitated before speaking again. "Bella, there's a small issue at the company that is leftover from last night... I have to take care of it." Isabella nodded immediately. "Go ahead. Work's been busy lately. I understand." Samuel hurriedly left once again. Isabella held her phone. She was waiting to see what shocking video Jennifer would send her next. As expected, Jennifer's message came quickly. This time, it was a photo—a hospital checkup form. [Jennifer Lewis, four weeks pregnant, threatened miscarriage] Jennifer: Last night at the theater was too much fun, and the baby's showing signs of miscarriage. The hospital says the baby's father needs to be there to sign the forms. Sorry, Mrs. Grant, but your husband belongs to me again today! Jennifer was pregnant?! Isabella held the phone tightly, staring at the pregnancy test results. She couldn't snap out of it. Jennifer: I forgot to tell you, for the next week, he'll still be mine. He promised to go to Hawaii with me to celebrate our little baby. Jennifer: He's leaving the room to give you a call. Be prepared, Mrs. Grant. The way she said "Mrs. Grant" was filled with a hint of provocation. Almost immediately, Isabella's phone rang. The screen displayed the word [Honey]. She took a deep breath and answered. "Bella, I'm sorry. Something came up at work, and I need to go on a business trip-" Before he could finish, Isabella interrupted him directly. "Go ahead." Samuel continued apologizing, "Bella, don't worry. I'll be back for our anniversary. And the wedding ring—the symbol of our love—I'll put it back on you during the ceremony." "Samuel, do you love me?" "Of course! You're the only woman I've ever loved in this life." Isabella replied, "If one day, you betray our love, I will leave you. Forever." Samuel laughed like he had just heard a joke. He chuckled and said, "I won't ever give you that chance." "I'm serious. I'm not joking. If I ever find out, you'll never find me again." "As long as you're Isabella Jones, it doesn't matter where you go. Even if you run to the end of the world, I'll always find you." "Really? What if I'm not Isabella Jones anymore?" Samuel's smile widened, and his voice was lazy and indulgent. "How could you not be Isabella? Alright, Bella, don't overthink things. I'll only ever love you. One week from now, I'll be back to spend time with you." Ten minutes later, the staff from Fauxlife Solutions sent her an address. When Isabella arrived, the staff handed her a stack of documents. "Ms. Jones, from today on, this is your new identity." She flipped through the papers. Her new name was Elysia Farrow. Elysia was a beautiful name associated with "parting"—she was about to leave Samuel forever. She had chosen this name for herself. From now on, there would be no more Isabella Jones. There would only be Elysia Farrow. "Ms. Jones
 I mean, Ms. Farrow, we've also booked your ticket. It's for next Saturday at 10 a.m. to Frosthaven." Isabella gathered the documents and nodded, thanking the staff. "Thank you. I'll transfer the full commission to your company's account later." "Ms. Farrow, you still have a week to reconsider. If you change your mind, we won't charge you any fees." "No," Isabella stood up, her tone firm. "I won't change my mind." Chapter 6 In the following days, messages from Samuel and Jennifer kept coming in. Three days before their anniversary, Isabella checked her messages. Jennifer: The sea breeze in Hawaii is so nice! The seafood is delicious too, but he says I can't eat seafood because I'm pregnant. So, he ran really far to buy me Eastern food! Attached was a picture of a Hawaiian beach scene. There was the sand and a coconut grove. Not far away, Samuel was opening a take-out box. Samuel: There are so few choices of Eastern food here. I had to travel far to find some. Bella, what did you eat today? Isabella had spent the day with her close friends. They had a barbeque and had a great time. After all, she was about to change her identity and leave. It would be hard to see them again, so she wanted to cherish this last time. Two days before their anniversary, Isabella's phone vibrated with incoming messages. Jennifer: The baby is only a month old, and he's already studying early childhood education. He's going to be such a great first-time dad! The attached photo was of Samuel's desk, stacked high with books. Isabella skimmed the titles—Baby Prenatal Education Guide, The Wisdom of Early Education, and so on. Samuel: Bella, I spent the whole day reading books. I've learned a lot. What about you? What did you do today? Isabella had gone to the bank. She exchanged all the funds from her account into foreign currency, withdrew cash, and closed all the bank cards under the name "Isabella Jones". One day before their anniversary, Isabella glanced at her phone. Jennifer: He's so sweet and caring. He doesn't want anyone else to touch my clothes while I'm pregnant, so he's washing them himself. Look! The attached photo was of Samuel, busy in the laundry room. Samuel: I didn't realize how exhausting laundry is. I think I'll leave it to the maid from now on. I don't want my darling wife working so hard. Isabella laughed. For five years of marriage, she had washed all of his clothes by hand. And now, he was washing clothes for another woman. How ironic. Just then, the charity organization arrived. Isabella carefully cleaned and packed her old clothes, handing them all over to the charity. When she came back and saw the house nearly empty, she felt a sense of lightness she had never experienced before. It turned out that the end of love was just a moment's decision. Once she stopped loving him, she could be so carefree. - The night before their anniversary, Isabella went to the mountaintop alone. She just looked up at the vast night sky, dotted with stars, the crescent moon hanging low. It was beautiful. When she received Samuel's call, it was already late. He sounded happy. "Bella, I've just landed. I'll be home soon. I'll bring you some snacks, how about it?" "I'm not home." "It's so late. Where are you?" "On the mountaintop." "What are you doing on the mountaintop?" "Watching the stars." "Wait for me, I'll come right now
" Suddenly, there was a loud noise on the other end of the line. It sounded like a woman was speaking. Samuel snapped something in a low voice. The woman seemed persistent, and Samuel didn't say anything for a long while. Then, Isabella heard what seemed to be the sound of a kiss. Isabella sneered. "Samuel, are you still coming?" His voice was somewhat hoarse as he said, "Bella, starting tomorrow, I'll be with you all the time. I just need to go to the office tonight and wrap things up. After that, I can focus on being with you. How does that sound?" Isabella laughed. "Sounds good." "My darling wife is so understanding. Let's meet at the ceremony venue tomorrow. Oh, and don't forget the gift you got me. I'm really looking forward to the surprise you've prepared." "Samuel," Isabella called him one last time. "What is it?" "It's nothing." Nothing at all. From now on, Isabella Jones no longer existed in this world. After descending the mountain, she hailed a taxi. "Hello, sir. To the airport, please." The driver noticed she was alone and asked with concern, "Miss, where's your luggage? I can help you with it." "I don't have any luggage. Just drive." All she had was a passport and a flight ticket. Everything else was donated or burned. Anything related to the name "Isabella Jones" had already been taken care of. Thirty minutes later, the car stopped at the airport entrance. Isabella transferred all the money from her phone to the driver. The driver looked flustered. "Miss, you transferred the wrong amount. It's 30 dollars, not 30 thousand! Let me send it back to you-" "It's fine. Thank you for the ride." She got out of the car and tossed her phone into the trash. Without looking back, she walked into the terminal. LEARN_MORE https://www.qknymufd.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=1 Happyday https://www.facebook.com/61558228850235/ 1,665 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 www.qknymufd.com VIDEO https://www.qknymufd.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=18282&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/t39.35426-6/479221260_1645483696064580_6272387491510552020_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=OYuFqjyKUrYQ7kNvgHv_uEh&_nc_oc=Adh9FH3Lq-yJviV1-B8xq8E8ttk0RCdmbVQZSJL2Cat5j8TTAvwTEDdB0qY3BS2OADw62BjVcHbdSAigVcz61F1Q&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A-vuDDKvfrUR1G3X0q-EqXy&oh=00_AYDnwsSvCXtHbCkF2i8dagCizcn10UZPjxc7db44GV28nQ&oe=67CC1A4B PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Happyday 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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Yes 2025-03-03 18:27 active 2789 0 Small giveaway alert! 🚹 I’ve been super busy with the launch of @seoulglowlab coming soon! If you haven’t seen yet- I’m opening my own K beauty store in San Diego! đŸ€Ș So I wanted to put together a small giveaway as a way to say thank you & for being patient with me (because running a business & doing social media, being a mom, etc is hard af) we’ll be doing a lot more of these as we prepare to launch 🚀 so make sure you’re following both accounts! GIVEAWAY RULES: ⭐Must follow @bykatiehernandez & @seoulglowlab ⭐Tag your skincare bestie in the comments That’s it! Unlimited entries, open to US only. Giveaway ends 3/9 at 10am PST #koreanskincare #koreanskincareroutine #koreanskincareproducts #koreanskincaretips #koreanskincareaddict #skincarecommunity #skincarefamily #skincareproducts #skincaretips #kbeauty #trendingskincare #koreanskincareaddict #skincarejunkie #skincareroutine #skincaregiveaway #giveaway #sandiego VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE http://instagram.com/bykatiehernandez Bykatiehernandez https://www.facebook.com/61567522883769/ 0 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Visit Instagram profile 0 instagram.com VIDEO http://instagram.com/bykatiehernandez 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481085163_615196091130923_955079318102883916_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=dKcbW9PGlloQ7kNvgE4xsIL&_nc_oc=Adg8zy7mLGSaQ3ih7z_Yi1YysDX25I-pW2uP1tc-fp_hXIGL7FDaw9XVThW4wiD1g9Yr7JauMKBY98ZN6sWldO4q&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Ai4tiaOp0UlUZQW6eY7S8Ol&oh=00_AYCtXiklN12rjkrjpI5D1gy7KQYDb93SUl8-_R4iidQ-Zw&oe=67CBFEAA PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Bykatiehernandez 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:50 active 2790 0 đŸ”„đŸ”„đŸ”„Click to read I caught my husband sleeping with his secretary. In our bed. I went blind because of saving him and he swore to God he would never leave me. Then
He cheated on me and made his secretary pregnant. "Antonio, why don’t you just divorce that blind woman? " His secretary said. They didn't know my eyes recovered. "Wait a bit longer. I need time," he replied. I showed up abruptly and threw the divorce paper toward him. They got dressed in panic, "Grace!?" “Sign it,” My voice cold, “Now!” 01 I saved my husband, Antonio Kaufman, and went blind. He promised to be my eyes and never to leave me. I followed the treatment and my sight came back. I rushed home to tell Antonio the good news, but I saw him lying on my bed with his secretary, Kelly Conway. They were naked and kissing passionately. Antonio called Kelly's name with affection. "Antonio, why don't you divorce that blind woman? I get you and love you the most," Kelly said as she nestled between Antonio's legs. "Give me a little more time," he replied. *** It snowed heavily that night. I left home dressed only in thin clothing, feeling utterly disheartened. I decided to book a flight back to Ivywood Town, where Antonio would never be able to find me again. After I booked the ticket, I thought the two inside would stop what they were doing. But when I had calmed down and went back home, I saw them move from the bedroom to the living room, still hugging tightly and kissing fiercely. The air was filled with the smell of their passion. Antonio looked at me with eyes full of desire, then bit his lip to keep quiet. But Kelly was being naughty on purpose, teasing him all the time. "Antonio, don't worry. Grace Parrish is blind. She can't see us," she whispered. She looked at me with disdain. Antonio touched her cheek. "Stop being naughty. Grace can hear anything unusual." "Huh, but I think this is thrilling. "Oops, it looks like that's all used up. We need to get some more," Kelly said softly with a sly smile, looking up. Then, Antonio looked at me sitting on the sofa, trying to control his voice. "Will you ask her to get it, or should I just get it myself?" Kelly asked Antonio, with a challenging glance in my direction. After a moment of hesitation, Antonio decided to go along with what Kelly wanted. "Grace, my throat feels a bit off. Could you grab that cold medicine from the table?" I looked at Antonio with a pale face while he was holding Kelly tightly with a flushed face and dazed eyes. I struggled to hold back my emotions, my fists clenching. With a bitter smile, I glanced at the box on the table. The so-called "cold medicine" was a box of condoms. Antonio wanted me to bring them condoms. With a despairing face, I pretended not to see and fumbled around on the table to bring him the box. "How did you catch a cold? Are you okay?" My voice trembled, but Antonio didn't catch it. "Y-Yes. I'll be fine after I take the medicine and get some sleep." Kelly was flirting with Antonio. He gave her a playful yet annoyed look, signaling her to stop. Then he took the box from my hand. "Go get some rest. I'll sleep in the guest room, so you don't catch my cold." After that, Antonio picked up Kelly and walked quietly toward the guest room. Once they were gone, my eyes welled up and turned red. Even though I decided to leave Antonio, my heart still ached terribly. Antonio had promised he would never lie to me or betray me, but he broke his word. I picked up my phone and called my mentor Trevor Morrow. "Mr. Morrow, I'm willing to return to Ivywood Town and take over your business." "Are you sure? Once you're back, you can't leave. You know, our town is closed off from the outside world, and no one is allowed in or out. Can you leave Antonio behind?" Without hesitation, I replied, "Yes, I can." Trevor was stunned for a long while. "Well then, come back in seven days," he finally said. In the past, I hesitated because I couldn't bear to leave Antonio. But now, he made the choice for me. I glanced at the closed door of the guest room, where heavy breathing kept coming out. "I've wasted many years of my life. I know medicine, but I let that knowledge go to waste. Now I've decided to step up and help ease your burdens." "Good, you're truly our pride. You haven't let me down. In eight days, we'll be waiting for you at the town entrance." "I'll be there on time." After chatting with Trevor for a bit, I hung up the phone. Just then, Antonio walked in wearing a white shirt. His neck and body were covered with love bites and scratches left by Kelly during their moment of passion. He didn't realize I could see them now, since he still thought I was blind. Chapter 2 I suddenly felt a wave of nausea and started to retch. Seeing my reaction, Antonio anxiously approached me. But as he got closer, all I could smell was Kelly's special perfume. Antonio had spoiled her so much that he even had a perfume company make a custom scent just for her. The nausea got worse. I pushed Antonio away, still pretending to be blind, and felt my way to the bathroom. It seemed that my body couldn't stand being near him anymore. Squatting down in front of the toilet, I kept dry heaving. After a while, when I finally felt a little better, I saw a pregnancy test in the trash can, showing two red lines. I stared at it for a long time, and it felt like it was laughing at how helpless I was. I didn't know how I felt at that moment. I wanted to cry, but no tears would come. All I felt was this endless pain. Ever since I lost my sight, Antonio and I hadn't had s*x for half a year, so he turned to Kelly instead, and now she was pregnant with his baby. Antonio followed me in hastily. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, his face showing how shocked he was. "What's wrong, Grace? Are you sick? "I was so scared when you pushed me away." His hands around my waist were shaking a little like he thought I might vanish any second, so he hugged me even tighter. Just now, Antonio was all over another woman, and now, he was saying sweet things to me. He was really good at acting. I pulled away from his hands and put some space between us. "Maybe my stomach isn't doing well. I can't keep anything down these days." I didn't know when I had learned to lie. I used to hate people like this, but now, I had turned into the very person I used to despise. But when Antonio heard this, he acted like it was a big deal. Despite his usual cleanliness, he didn't seem to mind the vomit on my clothes and hugged me tightly again. "I'm sorry. I've been busy with work recently and haven't had time to be with you. It's all my fault for leaving you to have your meals alone and taking care of yourself." Antonio cupped my face in his hands, his brows furrowed with worry. Then he led me back to the bedroom and took out fresh clothes for me to change into, but I stopped him and put the clothes on myself. He was stunned. This was the first time since we got married that I didn't need his help. It felt like his heart skipped a beat. I was lying down on the bed when he carefully pulled the blanket over me. "Grace, are you mad at me? Do you feel like I'm not spending enough time with you? "Tomorrow is your birthday. I'll take the day off and spend it with you, okay?" A man who was decisive and inspiring fear in the business world actually had a humble side. I couldn't help but give a bitter smile. Was I lucky or unlucky to be with him? As I struggled against the drowsiness and was about to drift into sleep, Antonio thought I had fallen asleep. His phone rang just then. He quickly silenced it and called out to me a couple of times. When I didn't respond, he answered it. "You bad guy, you ripped my underwear. Go get me a new pair now." "I'll be right over," Antonio said, casting a glance at me and then gently stroking my face before getting up and leaving. I clutched the bedsheet hard, and my tears burst out. Kelly was still around. Antonio had been keeping her at home, thinking I couldn't see. I tried to comfort myself, "It's okay. I'll be gone in seven days, and I'll cut off all ties with Antonio." Chapter 3 I woke up to find Antonio had made a big breakfast for me. All were my favorite pastries and appetizers. He even picked one up and brought it to my lips. "Honey, open your mouth. Let me feed you." Sitting across from me, Kelly pouted unhappily. Antonio sent her a message right in front of me: "I'll make it up to you later. Don't cause a scene in front of Grace. I'll give you whatever you want." Kelly smugly cheered up, cast a contemptuous glance at me, and then got up and left. As she walked past Antonio, she ran her finger under his pants and walked out. I didn't take the bite that Antonio was trying to feed me. Instead, I picked up my fork and pretended not to see, eating something else on my own. Thinking I was still sulking, Antonio insisted on taking me out after I finished eating. He rented a yacht and invited many friends, saying he wanted to throw a grand birthday party for me. The whole way there, Antonio held my hand tightly, like he was afraid I might trip or fall. He kept talking about all the sweet times we had together. I didn't say anything. My heart was a mess of bitterness and pain. I had once thought that we would be together forever, never apart, but it turned out to be a joke. Antonio thrived on excitement and young girls. He had forgotten the promises he made when we got married. When we walked into the yacht, the floor was covered with bright red rose petals. I had always hated roses, and Antonio knew that. But Kelly liked them, so they must have been prepared for her. How ironic. Antonio said it was my birthday, but it was probably another lie. "Grace, we had our wedding here, remember? It was broadcast all over the world so everyone could see how much I loved you." As Antonio talked about the past, his emotions got stirred up, and he actually shed a tear. He lifted my hand and guided my fingers to touch the tear on his face. It made me think, "What kind of love can make a man cry for real?" If it weren't for his affair and betrayal, I would have been moved to tears and held him while crying. He did love me before, but now everything had changed. His love had gone to Kelly. I pulled my hand back, keeping my face calm. Antonio was lost in his own memories. Seeing that I wasn't moved at all, he looked hurt and dropped his eyes. But after only a few seconds, his eyes lit up, and he looked out at the deck with a soft smile. Kelly was wearing a fancy dress made just for her by Antonio. It was said that clothes made the man. Kelly looked noble and elegant in the dress, outshining me in my simple attire. She walked over with a big smile. "Happy birthday, Mrs. Kaufman." Then she moved right next to Antonio and, without caring who was watching, grabbed his hand. "Mr. Kaufman, everything you wanted is ready. I'm going to count to three." "One!" "Two!" "Three!" Right on cue, the night sky lit up with a dazzling array of fireworks, each one bursting in a brilliant display of color. We three stood together. Antonio and Kelly were closely connected, looking like a couple. I watched the fireworks, but they hurt my heart. The fireworks showed Kelly's name when they exploded, not mine. It was obvious who the birthday party and the fireworks were really for. Suddenly, Antonio asked the maid to take care of me, saying he needed to leave for something important. "Grace, wait for me here." He kissed me on the forehead and then left in an eager hurry with Kelly. Chapter 4 I watched as Antonio and Kelly walked away, and I followed. In the end, my eyes landed on the doorway. Inside, Kelly was sitting on Antonio, kissing him like crazy. Antonio turned around and pushed her down beneath him. "Fortunately, Grace can't see. You actually had the fireworks show your name. Don't do that again." "What are you afraid of? She can't see anyway," Kelly said, tearing at Antonio's clothes. Their breathing got heavier and heavier, and soon it was out of control. My hand trembled as I took out my phone and pressed the record button at them. I listened for as long as they kept going inside. Eventually, Kelly got tired and fell asleep on top of Antonio. But Antonio wasn't done yet. He woke her up and kept going. I couldn't stand it any longer and left in a panic. I ran all the way home without stopping. It wasn't until I reached home that I finally let go of Antonio for good. I took off my wedding ring and threw it into the trash can. Then I went to my room and found everything that reminded me of Antonio and me. I carried them out to the garden, dug a big hole, threw them in, and then set them on fire, burning them all to ashes. I stood there, coldly watching the fire eat up our memories. "Antonio, there's no future for us anymore," I thought. Just as I got back inside, Antonio rushed in, sweating and looking frantic. Seeing me, he finally calmed down. "Grace, why did you come home by yourself? That was so dangerous! You really scared me!" Antonio said, his voice trembling with fear. I smiled, "You were gone too long. "I was scared, so I asked the maid to bring me back." Antonio hugged me tightly, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault." I didn't say anything, and Antonio didn't leave. He stayed by my side, and we spent a few quiet days together. On the seventh day, Antonio took me out for a walk, but he got a call halfway through. He tried to rush off, saying he had to work late. I stopped him and took out a document, flipping to the signature page and handing it to him. "I need you to sign this paper. I can't see." In his haste to meet Kelly, Antonio signed without a second thought. "What's this for? Are you buying a car or a house?" he asked. He gave me a card and told me to buy whatever I needed, then he left quickly. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. He had no idea that he had just signed divorce papers. Perhaps it was for the best. Antonio didn't need it anyway. I took off my sunglasses and watched as he walked away. "Goodbye, Antonio," I said quietly. When I got home, I put the divorce papers and the video I recorded on the table. I took one last long look at the house, picked up my suitcase, and left without looking back. Meanwhile, Antonio rushed straight to the hospital. Kelly called him, saying she was injured. But when he got there, he realized he had been tricked again. It was just a little cold. He glared at Kelly angrily. "Don't play these childish tricks again." As he turned to leave, the doctor who had treated my eyes saw him and asked worriedly, "Mr. Kaufman, is Grace's eyesight acting up again?" Antonio looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean by 'again'?" "Seven days ago, we fixed Grace's eyes, and she could see again. She excitedly ran off, saying she wanted to tell you the good news herself." Antonio almost lost his balance. He leaned against the wall and looked panicked. Then he pushed past Kelly and stumbled back home. "Grace, have you been able to see this whole time!?" Click to read more! LEARN_MORE https://novelmates.readlife.mobi/4b4epagsj00.html Can't stop reading https://www.facebook.com/100069654033473/ 1,104 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 novelmates.readlife.mobi VIDEO https://novelmates.readlife.mobi/4b4epagsj00.html 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/482056648_578239202039763_8595211941844224229_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Yj8bhJGbDisQ7kNvgEHZOMl&_nc_oc=Adh8jauuGK43uyam8AU0PlE4lOlQNS34QHntHzud_bBiwuonVHqXU9W4zbJh4tkU9IVKwwFGv6pWBaXLeVXD44sd&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A6xpVsTptj6DShzbld2JiSS&oh=00_AYDmwv65xwroX0Y_0rOG6azOuhKgGy-iYKNBIIxgruRrSw&oe=67CC0720 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Can't stop reading 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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Yes 2025-03-03 19:11 active 2791 0 🔞Attention! Do not read in publicïŒđŸ‘‰ "Where is she?" I hear the Beta scream. I groan and rise to my feet, grabbing the cleaning basket before heading over. The moment Beta Kyle sees me, he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don't make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times. "Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office." Beta Kyle spits at me. I nod my head and my hand tightens on the cleaning basket. If only I could find the courage to swing it at his head, it would make my day. But I didn't need another week locked up with no food. My stomach already hurt enough. "We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Don't you understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!" I don't answer, It's a trap, a ploy to provoke me into saying something that would justify punishment. I keep my eyes lowered, avoiding his gaze. Alpha Dane, I had only ever heard rumours about him. He was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn't mess around and he had the largest pack. "He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!" We had never been attacked and we had never attacked anyone, so why did we need another pack to help us? He grabs my shoulders, his nails digging into my skin as he turns me around and kicks me into the office. "Useless Wolf." He mutters as he moves away. Quietly closing the door, I lean against it, observing the already clean office. It looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha. Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned eighteen, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home. Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle waltzes around reminding me of how worthless I am. Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of alcohol. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don't quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded. "Is this the way you greet all Alphas?" His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone. "I'm sorry." I whisper, getting to my feet. "I...I thought I was alone." I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. "Come forward." He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat. Alpha Trey wil kill me. I step around the corner, doing as I'm told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst. "You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?" I nod, though I couldn't tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me. "I would prefer it if you spoke to me." He growls, "I'm not in the mood to play games." "Yes." I whisper. I couldn't help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? "Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me." "I..." I hated the question. "You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It's rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?" His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact."My Wolf abilities were bound," I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn't interested in that part. He leans forward, I could feel him staring at me, "Why would someone do that?" If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. "It was a punishment." I whisper. It wasn't far from the entire truth. There's a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn't tell. The door swings open and my brother screeches at me "Neah, what are you doing in my office?" He turns to the crimson eyed man. "I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane." Crap, it's him. My brother spins around, hand poised to hit me. I close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist. He is taller than my brother, more muscly too. "Neah," My name rolls off of his tongue, "was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested." What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me. My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight. "Go and get Beta Kyle." Alpha Trey seethes. "Tell him our guest is here." I nod my head and hurry from the room, the last thing I wanted was to be caught between bickering men. "Beta Kyle," I whisper as I enter the dining hall. He instantly glares at me with his dark eyes. I had spoken without being spoken to. "Alpha Trey is in the office with Alpha Dane. I was sent to inform you." He slams the newspaper down on the table and glares at me as he walks by. "You're lucky that the Alpha sent you to get me, otherwise you wouldn't see sunlight for a few days." Pausing behind me, he yanks my head back, locking his fingers in my hair, leaning in close to me, I feel his hot breath on my skin. He doesn't speak, it was just his way of proving that he could do what he wants when he wants. I try to keep myself busy so I can stay as far away from the office as possible. My peace doesn't last long when I hear my brother calling out to me. Quietly, I pad towards the office and plaster a smile on my face as I open the door. "Neah, go get the champagne and some glasses, we are celebrating." I bow my head and hurry to the drinks cabinet. Quickly finding what my brother has asked for. As I re-enter the office, I can feel Alpha Dane watching my every move, even the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. No one ever watches me this closely. "Neah is your sister, correct?" Alpha Dane questions my brother. "She is." Alpha Trey mutters with disgust. He looks away from me to focus on the man asking questions. "Why do you treat her like trash?" Straight to the point, my brother wouldn't like that. He only liked sharing information on his terms. No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too. "Neah was responsible for our parents' death." Alpha Trey spits I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free. "Responsible how?" Alpha Dane's voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry. "She served them Wolfsbane." Don't make a sound. Don't make a sound. I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in. There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. "You poisoned your parents?" "I was six." I splutter. "I just made them lemonade." My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day. His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. "Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old." "A six year old should know the difference between plants." Alpha Trey snaps "Sounds to me like she was set up." Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of me. "You weren't there, Alpha Dane." My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. "I didn't ask you here to talk about my slave!" Alpha Dane grabs his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other Alpha's he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other Alpha's, his arms are bare of tattoos, not a single bit of ink poked out anywhere. "You're right and now I have a few things to mull over." "I thought we agreed." My brother exclaims "Nothing has been signed. Now I will show myself out." The moment he is out of the office, both my brother and Beta Kyle round on me. "What the heck did you say to him?" My brother demands, slamming a hand into my stomach. "N...nothing. Well, he just asked me why I smelled funny." "Did you tell him?" Beta Kyle demands. He was practically spitting in my face. I hated him. I hated him so much that I had vowed to one day get my revenge and rip his stomach out through his mouth. "WELL?" My brother yells when I don't immediately respond and smacks me across the side of the head. My head involuntarily moves up and down. "But I didn't say it was you." I tried to sound strong and confident but it just comes out as a whisper. My brother's hand locks into my black hair as he yanks my head back, sending a shooting pain through my skull. "If you have ruined this, you won't see daylight again." He drags me by my hair from the office and down the hallway towards the basement door. "Please
." I beg. "He was an Alpha
I
 I had to answer him." My cheeks burn with my tears as he flings the door open. On the other side of the door is Alpha Dane. He is leaning against the wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand falls from my hair, relieving the pressure on the back of my skull... "Alpha Dane, I thought you had left." Alpha Trey murmurs angrily. "I said I would show myself out. I thought I had found the door, but instead I find a basement, riddled in your sister's strange scent. Is this how you treat your family?" "As I said," my brother holds his ground, "She is responsible for the death of my parents, so yes, this is what she deserves." "You should keep your nose out of other packs' business!" Beta Kyle adds. Alpha Dane laughs. "If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell me, what would your punishment be for her? No food, locked away for a week, beatings?" Both Alpha Trey and Beta Kyle hold their tongues. There was no reason for him to defend me and yet he was. I was a nobody, no one special. Just who everyone called a traitor. Only instead of being given a death sentence, my brother had decided to make me spend my life suffering. I see those crimson eyes land on my swollen face. "I have a proposition for you, Alpha Trey." Alpha Dane speaks up again. "We have already agreed on terms." "Well, I'm adding one. And if you don't agree, you will not get my help. Instead, you will become my enemy. And we both know, you don't want that." "I take it that your new terms have something to do with her?" Alpha Trey mutters through clenched teeth. "You would be correct. Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal." Me? Why would he want me? As my brother and his Beta discuss me, Alpha Dane is still studying me. His look made me nervous. What could someone like him possibly want with me? "Deal." Alpha Trey sticks out his hand for Alpha Dane to shake. He doesn't take it, instead his crimson eyes shift from me to my brother. "I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow." He reaches a hand out and cups my face, "Ensure you have everything packed." He drags his thumb across my bottom lip and strides to the opposite end of the hallway and straight to the front door. He knew exactly where the front door was, so what was he up to? He pauses at the door. "If I find out any one of you has laid a hand on her. The contract will be the last thing you need to worry about." He struts out, slamming the door behind him. After Dane leaves, my brother grabs me by the collar. "You think you're going to have a good life if you follow Alpha Dane out of here? Don't be naive!" He continues in a vicious voice. "He's the coldest man in the world, he's killed nine of his mates, I'm waiting to see what happens to you!" LEARN_MORE https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=17724&u New world publications https://www.facebook.com/100090352943774/ 3,810 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 wwwedb.com VIDEO https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=17724&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/t39.35426-6/474653947_1647839196028063_1994470695520407368_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=2CxbNrywSnkQ7kNvgGXq4Nw&_nc_oc=AdgMe5dp08XDNgiHl_uB142s6redqEDSLu5nm_DlqDHnby1GoePiaGAe09cWFYHcxWsLJ0IzRNjPbnC0pf2w9mhj&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AF32acqEUCDLNxwY2Tvr_kn&oh=00_AYBwEMaefGziiPncpHmUJ0GJFrRz_MPJ0W5zahKjtzEXHw&oe=67CC3760 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 New world publications 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:49 active 2790 0 Train Smarter. Perform Better. Push Your Limits at Parker Seminars Las Vegas (March 20-22, 2025) Join Parker Seminars Las Vegas (March 20-22, 2025) at Caesars Forum Event Center and take your performance to the next level with top experts in sports performance, recovery, and leadership. Gain science-backed strategies to train smarter, coach better, and achieve peak performance while networking with top trainers, coaches, and athletes. ✔ Train Smarter – Learn advanced recovery and performance techniques ✔ Push Your Limits – Unlock new levels of strength, endurance, and focus ✔ Strengthen Your Network – Connect with industry leaders and like-minded professionals ✔ Fuel Your Drive – Ignite the motivation to keep pushing forward 💡 Exclusive Premier Track with BioMolecular Athlete! Originally $199, now just $149 for Parker attendees. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer to gain expert insights at a fantastic price. Spots are filling fast—register now before prices go up! LEARN_MORE https://lasvegas.parkerseminars.com/parker-seminar Parker Seminars https://www.facebook.com/ParkerExperience/ 8,634 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 ParkerSeminars.com IMAGE Register Now Parker Seminars Las Vegas 2025 Innovate. Empower. Transform. Join us at the Caesars Forum Event Center in Las Vegasfor an action-packed, three-day event built for trainers, coaches, and athletes serious about leveling up. Learn from top experts in sports performance, recovery, and leade... https://lasvegas.parkerseminars.com/parker-seminars-las-vegas-sports-and-fitness/ 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481018156_532310626015881_5486227853595660728_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=AvpllKKaXOQQ7kNvgH3e6Kk&_nc_oc=Adg2hVnH5bx8RqMgfHHHqRUVMYjQxT4k8oz5zAMgXfGWIKlV7T_w18E0LsglV06XqTEfofWH9B2lIqP9KTfLoEVF&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AB2XUSfq3GT9heBGHdC1z3N&oh=00_AYDOovIxIydKw25gSB9cp9kVNdb7LLPB9KC0Gud8WLKaUA&oe=67CC2857 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Parker Seminars 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:55 active 2790 0 â€ïžđŸ˜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 aĂ­ 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 Ă  noite e, ao chegar em casa, a Ășnica coisa que eu queria era tomar um banho e cair na cama. Mas nĂŁo foi possĂ­vel. - Catarina, chegou o convite de casamento da sua prima. – Minha mĂŁe falou. - Aquela mulherzinha nĂŁo Ă© minha prima! – Falei jĂĄ ficando nervosa. - Catarina, ela Ă© a sua prima. – Minha mĂŁe falou. – É melhor vocĂȘ parar com esse ataque de infantilidade. A Melissa jĂĄ bateu nela e fez um escĂąndalo aqui em casa. Agora chega! Ela Ă© filha da minha irmĂŁ, portanto Ă© sua prima. - Me desculpa, mĂŁe, mas ela nĂŁo Ă© nada pra mim. – Tentei manter a calma. – Ela ficou com o meu namorado na minha cama, isso nĂŁo Ă© coisa que se faça. Eu namorava o ClĂĄudio hĂĄ 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 entĂŁo 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 mĂŁe argumentou. – A Kelly, coitada, foi seduzida, ele a desonrou, agora vai se casar com ela pra ela nĂŁo ficar mal falada na cidade. - Ah, mĂŁe! Me poupe e se poupe! A cidade inteira sabe que a Kelly Ă© uma vadia... – Perdi a paciĂȘncia. - Catarina, olha o vocabulĂĄrio! – Meu pai chamou a minha atenção. – Olha aqui, se vocĂȘ nĂŁo quer conviver com a Kelly tudo bem, mas vocĂȘ vai a esse casamento. E chega desse comportamento grosseiro. - Eu o quĂȘ? – Achei que eu tinha ouvido errado. - VocĂȘ vai ao casamento da sua prima, Catarina. Isso Ă© uma ordem! NĂłs somos os seus pais e vocĂȘ vai obedecer. – Minha mĂŁe falava brava comigo, como se eu fosse a errada nessa situação. - Sinto muito, mĂŁe, mas eu nĂŁo vou! Eu sigo as regras de vocĂȘs, eu sou uma boa filha, mas dessa vez nĂŁo vai dar. Eu fui a ofendida! Eu tenho todo o direito de nĂŁo querer ser a piada da famĂ­lia mais. – Falei jĂĄ chorando. - CHEGA, CATARINA! – Meu pai gritou e me assustou. – VocĂȘ vai a esse casamento e ponto final. - Mas, pai... - NĂŁo quero saber, Catarina! É importante pra sua mĂŁe manter a paz na famĂ­lia. EntĂŁo vocĂȘ vai e pronto. – Meu pai falou nĂŁo dando margem para questionamentos. Fui para o meu quarto e passei a noite chorando. No dia seguinte contei tudo para a Melissa, que nĂŁo perdeu tempo, arrumou os convites para um baile de mĂĄscaras, evento de gala, falando para os meus pais que seria importantĂ­ssimo para a minha carreira, jĂĄ que os empresĂĄrios mais importantes da cidade estariam lĂĄ, eu faria contatos muito importantes e nossos professores haviam prometido nos apresentar a vĂĄrios empresĂĄrios que abririam portas para o nosso futuro profissional. Em princĂ­pio meus pais nĂŁo estavam muito convencidos, mas os pais da Melissa conversaram com eles e os convenceram de que seria uma excelente oportunidade para o meu futuro. EntĂŁo eles concordaram que eu deveria aproveitar a oportunidade. - Catarina, vocĂȘ nĂŁo pode me dizer nĂŁo! JĂĄ comprei os convites, as mĂĄscaras e jĂĄ atĂ© convenci seus pais de que Ă© um evento importantĂ­ssimo para o seu futuro profissional, o que me deu um trabalhĂŁo. Essa festa vai ser incrĂ­vel e vocĂȘ nĂŁo vai perder! – Melissa, falava e me olhava com os olhos de um cachorrinho abandonado, juntando as mĂŁos como se suplicando. Eu estava sentada em minha mesa no trabalho, no meio da tarde de uma quinta feira, entre anotar recados e fazer ligaçÔes, e a Mel apareceu com cafĂ©, bolinhos de chocolate e essa insistĂȘncia para eu aceitar ir no baile de mĂĄscaras que acontecia anualmente e era o maior evento em nossa cidade. - Ai, Mel, como Ă© que pode eu nĂŁo conseguir dizer nĂŁo pra vocĂȘ? EstĂĄ bem, eu vou! Eu concordei em ir ao baile, mas eu ainda nĂŁo tinha certeza. De qualquer forma eu iria dormir na casa da Mel para fugir do casamento, mas nĂŁo iria Ă  festa, contudo, Melissa tanto fez que me convenceu a ir pra festa. No sĂĄbado nos arrumamos na casa dela. - QuĂȘ isso, hein, amiga! TĂĄ gata demais! – Ela me entregou uma mĂĄscara dourada, linda, toda trabalhada como se fosse uma renda, que cobria atĂ© o nariz e eu a coloquei. Eu usava um vestido de cetim vermelho brilhante e a mĂĄscara combinou perfeitamente. – EntĂŁo, estamos prontas? - Sim estamos prontas. – Respondi e peguei minha bolsa. – Ih, esqueci meu perfume. - NĂŁo, tem problema, vocĂȘ vai usar o perfume novo da minha mĂŁe. Ela nĂŁo se importa. Quando o Fernando, namorado da Mel, nos viu sorriu, deu um beijo na Mel e disse: - Garotas, vocĂȘs estĂŁo lindĂ­ssimas! Acho que vocĂȘ vai sair dessa festa com um namorado novo, Cat. - Sem namorado, Nando. Na verdade, eu acho que Ă© melhor eu ficar, eu nĂŁo estou no clima pra festa. Por favor, Mel, deixa eu ficar? CAPÍTULO 2: O grande baile, a tequila, os cosmopolitans e o estranho irresistĂ­vel NĂŁo 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 Ă© open bar, entĂŁo hoje vocĂȘ vai beber para afogar de vez a tristeza! –A Mel me entregou dois shots de tequila e com mais dois em suas mĂŁos me falou: - Vamos virar! – viramos a tequila e o Fernando jĂĄ entregava uma taça de cosmopolitan para cada uma. Melissa me arrastou para a pista de dança e atĂ© que eu estava me divertindo. Começou uma mĂșsica lenta e o Nando e a Mel começaram a dançar agarradinhos, aproveitei a deixa e me encaminhei para o buffet, mas nĂŁo consegui chegar, senti uma mĂŁo puxando a minha e quando olhei para trĂĄs havia um homem com uma mĂĄscara preta sorrindo pra mim, e que sorriso! Ele beijou minha mĂŁo e me puxou para perto dizendo no meu ouvido com uma voz rouca: - A mulher mais linda do salĂŁo nĂŁo vai me negar uma dança, vai? - E por que nĂŁo? Vamos dançar. – Sorri pra ele. Era impossĂ­vel resistir aquela voz rouca sedutora e aquele sorriso lindo meio de lado! Ele era alto, ombros largos, um sorriso encantador e olhos azuis, tĂŁo azuis que eram quase violeta. Ele tinha uma boca que convidava ao pecado, cabelos castanhos, e quando me puxou pela cintura eu apoiei as mĂŁos em seu corpo e percebi que ele era uma parede de mĂșsculos bem definidos. Embora a mĂĄscara nĂŁo permitisse ver seu rosto, ele era muito charmoso e encantador. - Eu estava observando vocĂȘ desde que chegou. – Aquele homem, com ar misterioso, falou no meu ouvido. – VocĂȘ Ă© tĂŁo linda! - VocĂȘ Ă© gentil. Mas vocĂȘ nĂŁo Ă© da cidade, Ă©? – Ele tinha uma presença forte, emanava poder. - NĂŁo. Um amigo me convenceu a vir a essa festa. - Parece que temos algo em comum, meus amigos tambĂ©m me convenceram a vir. - Sorte minha! - E por que? – Sorri. - Porque eu fiquei fascinado quando te vi. VocĂȘ Ă© 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 mĂĄscara? - Mesmo com a mĂĄscara! VocĂȘ Ă© linda demais. - VocĂȘ Ă© um sedutor. - VocĂȘ me acha sedutor? - VocĂȘ sabe que Ă©. E lindo tambĂ©m. - Que bom que vocĂȘ gosta do que vĂȘ. – Eu me senti um pouco zonza, nĂŁo sei se pela bebida ou pelo perfume delicioso que aquele homem usava. Acabei tropeçando nos meus prĂłprios pĂ©s. - VocĂȘ estĂĄ bem? - Acho que preciso de um pouco de ar. - Vem comigo. - Ele me puxou para um corredor sem iluminação que dava para uma saĂ­da de emergĂȘncia 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 lĂĄbios se encontraram, começou lento, mas foi se aprofundando, ele me encostou na parede e o beijo se intensificou ainda mais, quase nos roubando o fĂŽlego, quando ele interrompeu o beijo para respirarmos, nos olhamos nos olhos, foi como jogar gasolina no fogo, ele passou a mĂŁo pela minha cintura, desceu atĂ© minha coxa e puxou minha perna para sua cintura. Eu jĂĄ estava completamente entregue nesse momento, sentindo seu corpo contra o meu, eu fiquei louca de tesĂŁo e o puxei para mais perto envolvendo sua cintura com minha perna. - VocĂȘ beija bem! – Sorri pra ele e senti meu corpo todo se arrepiar. – Ah, linda, vocĂȘ Ă© incrĂ­vel, eu quero muito vocĂȘ, aqui, agora! – ele disse entre beijos e enfiou a mĂŁo sob o meu vestido o puxando pra cima e chegando a minha calcinha. Eu estava em chamas quando ele enfiou a mĂŁo dentro da minha calcinha e gemeu. – Ah! Que delĂ­cia! TĂŁo quente, tĂŁo molhadinha! – Disse e me beijou com mais força, enquanto abria o zĂ­per da sua calça. Com um movimento rĂĄpido, de quem jĂĄ tinha feito aquilo antes, ele rasgou minha calcinha e acariciou minha entrada, como se pedisse permissĂŁo. Olhou nos meus olhos de novo e me perguntou: - O que vocĂȘ quer que eu faça? - Eu quero que vocĂȘ esteja dentro de mim agora! – Respondi sem nenhum pudor, eu jĂĄ estava arfando de tanto tesĂŁo. Eu nĂŁo resisti aqueles olhos e aquela voz rouca. Eu nunca fui assim, normalmente eu teria me desvencilhado dele no momento em que me puxou pela mĂŁo, mas aquela noite eu havia prometido a mim mesma que iria me divertir e se aparecesse alguĂ©m 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 centĂ­metro 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, sĂł pra entrar de novo com toda força dessa vez, e foi uma delĂ­cia, 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 nĂŁo tivesse nada ao nosso redor, eu senti uma nĂ©voa 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 paraĂ­so na terra. Eu gozei gemendo na boca dele e foi um climax incrĂ­vel, 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 fĂŽlego, 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 fĂŽlego, 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: - VocĂȘ Ă© realmente incrĂ­vel! Gentilmente ele baixou minhas pernas atĂ© meus pĂ©s tocarem o chĂŁo, colocou o meu vestido em ordem, arrumou sua calça e me abraçou. Isso foi tĂŁo Ă­ntimo, tĂŁo afetuoso, apesar da loucura daquele encontro e da ferocidade com que nos entregamos, ele ainda era cuidadoso comigo. Eu nunca tinha tido uma relação tĂŁo maravilhosa, mas eu sĂł tinha transado com meu ex atĂ© entĂŁo. 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 atĂ© ele estar satisfeito, entĂŁo, o fato de um homem se preocupar comigo, com meu prazer, cuidar de mim, foi novidade, e uma novidade incrĂ­vel. Ele me deu um beijo no pescoço e perguntou no meu ouvido: - EntĂŁo, linda, eu ainda nĂŁo 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 sĂł pude ouvir ele elevando a voz e dizendo: - O que vocĂȘ disse? – Nesse momento aquele estranho saiu correndo como se tivesse se esquecido de mim, ou como se sĂł estivesse fugindo da rapariga que comeu rapidinho na festa. Mas e daĂ­? Foda-se eu sĂł estava me divertindo tambĂ©m e eu nem sabia quem era o cara e ele nĂŁo sabia quem eu era. Tudo certo. Me recompus, procurei minha calcinha rasgada inutilmente, onde ele a teria jogado eu nĂŁo faço ideia, e saĂ­ 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. - PrĂ­ncipe, acho que jĂĄ podemos ir. O que acha, Cat? - Eu estou pronta quando vocĂȘs quiserem! – falei virando um copo de ĂĄgua. - EntĂŁo vamos, garotas! – Fernando falou e nos conduziu para a saĂ­da. Mal chegamos e a Mel jĂĄ foi me ordenando: - Conta tudo, quem Ă©, como foi, como nĂŁo foi, tudo. Eu ri e contei tudo pra ela, quando terminei de falar minha amiga me olhava de boca aberta e me perguntou: - VocĂȘs usaram camisinha, nĂ©? Meu coração disparou! A gente nĂŁo usou preservativo. E eu balancei a cabeça em negativa para ela, eu estava em choque por me dar conta do quĂŁo descuidada eu fui. Ela jĂĄ foi logo me acalmando: - NĂŁo, Cat, calma. Com certeza nĂŁo vai dar nada. Mas vocĂȘ deve fazer uns exames para garantir que estĂĄ tudo bem. Vou na cozinha preparar um chĂĄ pra gente. NĂŁo 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 mĂŁe mandou eu te entregar. Ela disse que ele Ă© perfeito para vocĂȘ e nĂŁo combina com ela. – A Mel falou com um grande sorriso. Abri a sacolinha e lĂĄ 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 laboratĂłrio e fui informada que precisaria apresentar um pedido mĂ©dico para fazer os exames pelo plano de saĂșde. Graças a Deus a empresa pagava plano de saĂșde para os funcionĂĄrios, porque se nĂŁo, nĂŁo sei o que faria, meu salĂĄrio nĂŁo era alto e o pouco que sobrava depois de cobrir as despesas da faculdade eu ajudava em casa, jĂĄ que minha mĂŁe nĂŁo trabalhava fora e meu pai tambĂ©m nĂŁo ganhava muito como motorista. EntĂŁo marquei o mĂ©dico que sĂł tinha horĂĄrio 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 mĂ©dico. Com a lista de exames nas mĂŁos ela mesma marcou o laboratĂłrio e fez questĂŁo de me acompanhar. JĂĄ tinham se passado trĂȘs semanas desde a festa quando eu finalmente consegui fazer os exames. Os resultados saĂ­ram cinco dias depois e eu voltei ao mĂ©dico. Claro que a Mel estava comigo. O mĂ©dico verificou os resultados e me olhou nos olhos: - Srta. Catarina, sua saĂșde estĂĄ Ăłtima. VocĂȘ estĂĄ saudĂĄvel. Mas, daqui pra frente terĂĄ que se cuidar melhor. Eu respirei aliviada Ele continuou falando: - ParabĂ©ns, vocĂȘ estĂĄ grĂĄvida! Vou encaminhĂĄ-la para um ginecologista obstetra para que vocĂȘ faça o prĂ© natal.... Eu nĂŁo ouvi mais nada, sĂł o sangue pulsando em meus ouvidos. Eu nĂŁo podia acreditar nisso! GrĂĄvida? Como eu iria explicar? NĂŁo Ă© possĂ­vel. Na primeira vez que deixo a racionalidade de lado acabo grĂĄvida e nem sei quem Ă© o pai! A Mel segurava minha mĂŁo 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 Ășnica filha acabaria com eles. Eles ficariam decepcionados, iriam me odiar, me colocariam pra fora de casa. Como eu ia explicar que nĂŁo sei nem como Ă© a cara do pai do meu filho? Eu jĂĄ estava hiperventilando. De repente, senti o mĂ©dico pegando minha mĂŁo e falando calmamente: - Filha, calma! A situação, pelo que percebo, nĂŁo Ă© a melhor, mas vocĂȘ nĂŁo pode ficar nervosa assim, isso farĂĄ mal para o seu bebĂȘ, agora vocĂȘ tem que se cuidar por ele. Tenho certeza que as pessoas que te amam vĂŁo te apoiar e ajudar. Mas vocĂȘ precisa se acalmar, porque sĂł vocĂȘ pode cuidar para que esse bebĂȘ se desenvolva saudĂĄvel e nasça forte. VocĂȘ me compreende? O mĂ©dico pediu a secretĂĄria para trazer um chĂĄ de camomila para mim e enquanto eu bebia o chĂĄ e tentava me acalmar ele passava todas as informaçÔes para a Melissa que ouvia tudo atentamente. SaĂ­mos do consultĂłrio e a Melissa me levou para uma lanchonete dizendo que nĂłs precisĂĄvamos comer alguma coisa. Logo que me sentei senti as lĂĄgrimas caĂ­rem. Minha amiga me abraçou e me disse mais uma vez que eu nĂŁo estava sozinha. Olhei para ela e disse: - A Ășnica certeza que tenho agora Ă© que quero vocĂȘ e o Nando como padrinhos do meu filho, porque sei que vocĂȘs vĂŁo apoiĂĄ-lo e dar a ele muito amor. Os olhos dela brilharam e ela explodiu em lĂĄgrimas e soluçando me respondeu: - Eu vou ser a melhor madrinha do mundo e vou estar sempre perto do nosso bebĂȘ! E tenho certeza que o Nando vai ficar muito feliz tambĂ©m! Ela garantiu que estaria ao meu lado sempre, deixou claro que eu nĂŁo passaria por nada sozinha e que estaria comigo quando eu fosse falar com meus pais. Meus pais... ai! Comecei a raciocinar e decidi que nĂŁo iria esconder deles nem por um dia, ia contar naquela noite mesmo, nĂŁo iria a faculdade, pois iria pra casa falar com eles. A Mel logo me apoiou e disse: - EntĂŁo vamos, eu estou com vocĂȘ! Quando chegamos em minha casa meus pais se assustaram e minha mĂŁe jĂĄ veio toda preocupada: - Meninas, vocĂȘs nĂŁo foram a aula hoje? EstĂĄ tudo bem? - NĂŁo muito, mĂŁe. Eu preciso falar com vocĂȘs. Meus pais perceberam logo que era algo muito sĂ©rio. Nos sentamos todos na sala e eu contei a eles o que estava acontecendo e que eu fui irresponsĂĄvel e fiquei com um estranho na festa, nĂŁo entrei em detalhes obviamente, mas deixei claro que nĂŁo poderia encontrar o pai do meu filho de novo. A decepção nos olhos deles era evidente. Minha mĂŁe soluçava de tanto chorar e dizia que eu estava arruinada. Meu pai atĂ© entĂŁo nĂŁo havia dito nada. A Melissa vendo como minha mĂŁe estava nervosa foi logo na cozinha e voltou com um copo de ĂĄgua com açĂșcar para ela. Melissa sempre dĂĄ ĂĄgua com açĂșcar pra quem estĂĄ nervoso dizendo que acalma, eu nunca entendi isso. Por fim, meu pai falou: - VocĂȘ cometeu um erro muito grande e nĂŁo 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 irresponsĂĄvel. Mas agora nĂŁo tem jeito. Eu vou deixar a faculdade para poder criar meu filho. E jĂĄ vou fazer minha mala... - Fazer a mala? VocĂȘ estĂĄ muito enganada se acha que vai sair dessa casa assim. VocĂȘ errou, nos decepcionou, mas nĂłs te amamos, vamos superar isso e vamos ajudar vocĂȘ. VocĂȘ nĂŁo estĂĄ sozinha, minha filha! E essa criança tambĂ©m nĂŁo! – Meu pai disse isso e meu coração se encheu de esperança. - Mas pai, eu envergonhei vocĂȘs... - VocĂȘ nĂŁo Ă© a primeira e nĂŁo serĂĄ a Ășltima mĂŁe solteira nesse mundo. NĂłs gostarĂ­amos que as coisas fossem diferentes para vocĂȘ, que nĂŁo fossem tĂŁo difĂ­ceis. VocĂȘ sempre foi tĂŁo responsĂĄvel! Mas, se Ă© assim, nĂłs vamos enfrentar isso. VocĂȘ nĂŁo vai deixar a faculdade, mais do que nunca vocĂȘ precisa crescer na vida para cuidar do seu filho, vocĂȘ vai ser mĂŁe solteira, sua responsabilidade Ă© muito grande. NĂłs vamos te ajudar e, mesmo que seja com dificuldade, vai dar tudo certo. A Melissa jĂĄ estava chorando e logo falou com os meus pais: - Sr. AntĂŽnio, Dona Celina, vocĂȘs contem comigo, vou ajudar em tudo! AtĂ© porque eu sou a madrinha desse bebĂȘ, a Cat Ă© como uma irmĂŁ pra mim, e vou estar sempre por perto. Meus pais olharam para ela com gratidĂŁo. Eu olhei para aqueles trĂȘs me sentindo completamente abençoada por tĂȘ-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 existĂȘncia! Por mais difĂ­cil que fosse ser mĂŁe 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 difĂ­ceis. Guardei em uma caixa o vestido, os sapatos, a mĂĄscara e o perfume que a mĂŁe da Mel me deu. Em dias difĂ­ceis eu abria aquela caixa e revivia em minha memĂłria aquela noite. Embora eu tenha tido uma gravidez tranquila, os comentĂĄrios e a maldade das pessoas era difĂ­cil suportar. Para piorar, depois que se casaram, meu ex e minha prima foram morar com os pais dela, que moravam na mesma rua que nĂłs, e eles faziam questĂŁo de me humilhar com comentĂĄrios maldosos sempre que me viam e espalharam no bairro inteiro que eu nĂŁo sabia quem era o pai do meu filho e que eu era uma perdida, por isso que o ClĂĄudio me deixou. Eu queria matĂĄ-los! A mĂŁe da Kelly, que era irmĂŁ da minha mĂŁe, tambĂ©m nĂŁo perdia a oportunidade de ir lĂĄ em casa nos atormentar, dizendo que ainda bem que a filha dela nĂŁo 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, nĂŁo valia a pena bater boca com essa gente e eu nĂŁo queria transmitir sentimentos ruins ao meu filho. Quanto mais os dias passavam, mais eu amava aquele bebĂȘ, eu nĂŁo 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 incrĂ­vel que pareça, com a gravidez parecia que todas as coisas fluĂ­am 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 saudĂĄvel, 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 jĂĄ estava com dois anos. A essa altura ele jĂĄ andava para todos os lados, sempre agarrado na vovĂł, 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. ApĂłs a formatura meu chefe me chamou para conversar, ele era um Ăłtimo chefe, disse que estava muito feliz comigo na empresa, mas sabia que eu merecia chegar muito longe, entĂŁo eu deveria procurar emprego na minha ĂĄrea, que ele compreenderia. Garantiu que meu emprego na construtora seria meu enquanto eu quisesse e que se eu saĂ­sse e nĂŁo desse certo eu teria para onde voltar. Mas que eu deveria buscar algo na minha ĂĄrea 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 nĂŁo demorou, o Sr. OtĂĄvio Lascuran, pai da Mel, me chamou no escritĂłrio dele e me entregou um cartĂŁo, me dizendo: - Catarina, sei que vocĂȘ Ă© uma Ăłtima garota e uma boa profissional. Falei com um amigo e ele conseguiu uma entrevista para vocĂȘ no Grupo Mellendez, Ă© para o cargo de assistente do CEO do grupo. Se vocĂȘ conseguir esse emprego vai exercer sua profissĂŁo em uma empresa global, Ă© um excelente cargo, mas nĂŁo Ă© aqui em CampanĂĄrio. VocĂȘ teria que se mudar para Porto ParaĂ­so. Eu sei que Ă© um passo enorme, mas acho que vocĂȘ deveria considerar, vai ser excelente para vocĂȘ. Enfim, envie um e-mail para o endereço eletrĂŽnico no cartĂŁo com a sua resposta desistindo da vaga ou aceitando a entrevista virtual. - Sr. Lascuran, eu nĂŁo tenho palavras para agradecer! VocĂȘs sempre foram tĂŁo bons comigo! O Grupo Mellendez Ă© um dos maiores conglomerados de empresas do paĂ­s! Trabalhar lĂĄ Ă© um sonho! Eu vou aceitar a entrevista sim, se tiver que me mudar eu vou, sei que serĂĄ uma grande oportunidade. – falei com convicção, pois nĂŁo seria ruim me afastar daquelas pessoas maldosas da minha famĂ­lia, principalmente agora que a “rainha” Kelly estava grĂĄvida e a mĂŁe dela resolveu pedir tudo que Ă© do Pedro pro rebento do casal canalha! Ainda bem que minha mĂŁe disse a ela que isso era um absurdo, mas que de qualquer forma seria impossĂ­vel, pois eu jĂĄ havia dado tudo que nĂŁo servia mais para o Pedro para uma conhecida que estava grĂĄvida. Minha mĂŁe andava muito chateada com a irmĂŁ, pois ela estava sempre se desfazendo do meu filho, sempre se referia a ele como o menino sem pai e isso magoou muito minha mĂŁe. Indo embora dessa cidade, sĂł vou lamentar em deixar meus pais e meus amigos, mas sei que eles vĂŁo me apoiar mais uma vez. Agradeci ao Sr. Lascuran e sai do escritĂłrio. Cheguei a minha mesa e falei com o meu chefe, outro Sr. Lascuran, mas ele nĂŁo gostava de ser chamado assim entĂŁo o chamava pelo nome: - Aldo, seu irmĂŁo conseguiu uma entrevista pra mim no Grupo Mellendez. Ele sorriu: - Eu sei, ele acabou de me ligar, acho que vocĂȘ deve agarrar a oportunidade, se nĂŁo der certo vocĂȘ 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 Ă s dez horas da manhĂŁ, jĂĄ que eu jĂĄ havia tomado a iniciativa de enviar o meu currĂ­culo, a entrevista seria rĂĄpida. 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 nĂŁo contassem para ninguĂ©m. 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 reuniĂ”es 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 agradĂĄvel, conversamos por duas horas, ela me passou todas as informaçÔes do cargo, salĂĄrio e benefĂ­cios, no final ela me disse: - Catarina, vocĂȘ estĂĄ contratada! VocĂȘ vai me substituir, jĂĄ que eu estou indo para um cargo de diretoria na filial de Londres, entĂŁo vocĂȘ ocuparĂĄ meu cargo aqui. De modo que gostaria que vocĂȘ começasse o mais rĂĄpido possĂ­vel, pois eu viajo daqui a dez dias e gostaria de lhe passar tudo antes de ir. E tambĂ©m nĂŁo gostaria de reagendar a minha partida. Quando vocĂȘ pode começar? - Eu preciso apenas que meu chefe me libere, mas creio que posso estar aĂ­ na segunda. – JĂĄ era sexta, serĂĄ que o Aldo concordaria em me liberar ainda hoje? - Perfeito. VocĂȘ pode me enviar um e-mail confirmando depois de falar com ele. VocĂȘ tem alguma dĂșvida? - NĂŁo, senhora. EstĂĄ tudo claro. -Ótimo! Bem vinda ao Grupo Mellendez, tenho certeza que vocĂȘ vai se sair muito bem. Te espero na segunda. Ela encerrou a chamada e meu coração estava disparado, eu tinha conseguido. O emprego era Ăłtimo, o salĂĄrio 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. ApĂłs 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 saĂ­. Mandei o e-mail de confirmação para a Sra. Mariana, dizendo que na segunda, Ă s oito da manhĂŁ, estaria na empresa, e fui logo falar com a Mel e o pai dela, tinha que agradecer. E aĂ­ foi a Mel quem me surpreendeu: - O que vocĂȘ achou, que ia levar meu afilhado embora assim? NĂŁo vai mesmo! Meu pai conseguiu uma entrevista para mim na Lince Mundi em Porto ParaĂ­so. Eu vou me mudar com vocĂȘ e vamos morar juntas. O que acha? Isso era perfeito! Fiquei muito feliz, mas logo perguntei: - Mel, mas e o Nando? - O Nando jĂĄ pediu na empresa a transferĂȘncia dele pra filial de Porto ParaĂ­so, lĂĄ ele terĂĄ mais oportunidades tambĂ©m. Ele vai daqui a quinze dias. Amiga, vida nova para nĂłs trĂȘs. Eu estava muito feliz. A Mel jĂĄ havia orquestrado tudo. O Nando ia nos levar e ela ficaria com o Pedro para eu trabalhar atĂ© conseguirmos a creche. Ela jĂĄ tinha trĂȘs creches para visitar e o pai dela jĂĄ havia disponibilizado um apartamento mobiliado na cidade pra gente. Era bom demais, eu estava atĂ© 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 notĂ­cia e nos despedir. Porto ParaĂ­so fica do outro lado do paĂ­s, entĂŁo ficarĂ­amos sem nos ver um tempo. Meus pais ficaram felizes, atĂ© eu dizer que partiria na manhĂŁ seguinte, aĂ­ a despedida foi uma tristeza. Era difĂ­cil deixĂĄ-los para trĂĄs, mas era necessĂĄrio. Com o salĂĄrio que eu receberia, poderia ajudĂĄ-los agora. Isso era bom. Na manhĂŁ 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 lĂĄ fomos nĂłs, seria o dia todo na estrada. Chegamos a Porto ParaĂ­so jĂĄ era tarde da noite de sĂĄbado, 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 ParaĂ­so era uma cidade muito grande, cheia de indĂșstrias, muito moderna, ficava no litoral e o porto atraia muitos negĂłcios para a cidade, era um centro urbano de primeiro mundo. O apartamento em que irĂ­amos morar ficava perto de uma das creches que a Mel havia contactado, isso era Ăłtimo, e tambĂ©m nĂŁo ficava longe da empresa, de metrĂŽ 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 nĂłs terĂ­amos uma vida muito boa. Pedro agora tinha seu prĂłprio quarto, eu e a Mel combinamos de comprar umas coisinhas para deixar bem a nossa cara, dar um toque pessoal. Peguei a babĂĄ eletrĂŽnica e fui para o meu quarto. Abri uma das minhas caixas e comecei a arrumar tudo ali. Quando abri a Ășltima caixa, tirei dela a caixa com minhas lembranças da noite do baile, a abri, passei a mĂŁo por aquele vestido lindo e suspirei mais uma vez. Peguei o perfume e pensei, “por que nĂŁo?”, a partir de amanhĂŁ eu usaria esse perfume todos os dias, meu salĂĄrio 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 Ă© muito estressado Me apresentei na empresa Ă s oito da manhĂŁ. Fui muito bem recebida pela Sra. Mariana, que me apresentou todo mundo e todos foram gentis. O chefe nĂŁo estava lĂĄ, estava viajando e chegaria no final da semana. O escritĂłrio 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 manhĂŁ recebi uma mensagem da Mel dizendo que conseguiu marcar com a diretora da creche prĂłxima ao nosso apartamento para a hora do almoço. Expliquei a situação a Sra. Mariana e perguntei se seria possĂ­vel me liberar no horĂĄrio, mas que eu estaria de volta a tempo. - EntĂŁo vocĂȘ tem um filho. Qual a idade dele? – ela me perguntou com um sorriso. - Ele tem dois anos. É um garotinho muito esperto. NĂŁo foi planejado, mas Ă© a razĂŁo da minha vida! - Qual o nome dele? - Pedro. - Pedro. Um nome forte. VocĂȘ nĂŁo Ă© casada, isso eu sei, mas e o pai do seu filho, vocĂȘs continuam juntos? – Meu coração despencou, como Ă© que eu explico pra ela que nĂŁo sei quem Ă© o pai? Mas eu nĂŁo minto, entĂŁo 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 sĂ©ria, nĂŁo havia julgamento nos olhos dela. EntĂŁo me disse: - VocĂȘ tem o meu respeito, Catarina, nĂŁo Ă© fĂĄcil ser mĂŁe solteira, e Ă© muito difĂ­cil contar verdades como essa que vocĂȘ sabe que vai despertar o julgamento dos outros. Obrigada pela confiança e honestidade. Vai lĂĄ resolver a creche para o seu filho, continuamos Ă  tarde, nĂŁo precisa correr. Agradeci e me despedi dela indo encontrar a Mel e o Pedro. Minha admiração e respeito pela Sra. Mariana sĂł cresciam. Ela Ă© uma mulher de uns cinquenta e cinco anos, cabelos loiros bem claros e olhos azuis quase transparentes. É uma mulher bonita e elegante, mas principalmente Ă© muito acolhedora. NĂłs nos demos muito bem. Durante o resto da manhĂŁ ela me encheu de informaçÔes sobre o trabalho e eu ia anotando tudo. Na hora do almoço eu saĂ­ do prĂ©dio e a Mel jĂĄ estava me esperando na porta com o Pedro. Entrei no carro e fomos almoçar antes de ir Ă  creche. Eu e a Mel adoramos a creche e o Pedro jĂĄ estava enturmado correndo com os novos amiguinhos, ele Ă© um menino muito extrovertido. Isso me deixou muito feliz! Meu filho estava feliz! Desistimos de ver as outras creches, pois essa era Ăłtima e ficava muito perto de casa, a trĂȘs quarteirĂ”es de distĂąncia. Fizemos a matrĂ­cula e acertamos todos os detalhes. A diretora sugeriu que deixĂĄssemos o Pedro atĂ© o final do dia, jĂĄ que ele estava se divertindo e assim jĂĄ ia se adaptando. A Mel ficou de buscĂĄ-lo no fim do dia. A Mel me deixou na empresa novamente e me disse que voltaria pra casa para se preparar para a entrevista de trabalho que seria no meio da tarde. Voltei Ă  minha sala e cheguei antes da Sra. Mariana. Sentei Ă  mesa e fui repassando tudo o que ela jĂĄ havia me informado. O telefone sobre a mesa tocou e eu fiquei sem saber o que fazer, mas aquela seria minha mesa, entĂŁo atendi com a voz mais profissional possĂ­vel: - Grupo Mellendez, presidĂȘncia, boa tarde, em que posso ajudar? Ouvi do outro lado um silĂȘncio sepulcral seguido de um longo suspiro. AlguĂ©m vociferou do outro lado, com certa impaciĂȘncia e uma voz forte e meio rouca: - Passa para a Mariana. Levei um susto, mas me controlei e respondi: - Desculpe, senhor, mas a senhora Mariana ainda nĂŁo retornou do almoço. Posso ajudĂĄ-lo ou o senhor gostaria de deixar um recado? - Quem estĂĄ falando? – falou do outro lado ainda mais impaciente. - Meu nome Ă© Catarina, sou a nova assessora do Sr. Mellendez. - Mas eu nĂŁo te conheço. – Parecia que ele ficava mais impaciente a cada vez que falava. - É que hoje Ă© meu primeiro dia, senhor. O senhor gostaria de deixar um recado? - Diga a Mariana para me ligar assim que puser os pĂ©s no escritĂłrio. - Perfeitamente, senhor. E qual o seu nome? - Parece que eu sou o seu chefe! – falou rispidamente e desligou o telefone. Nossa, que homem estressado! Isso nĂŁo estava na descrição do cargo. Imediatamente minha garganta apertou, meu chefe e eu jĂĄ tinha causado mĂĄ impressĂŁo? Eu estava muito ferrada! Comecei a pensar que nĂŁo ia durar nesse emprego. Pouco depois a Sra. Mariana chegou e eu lhe transmiti o recado com uma cara de preocupação. Ela olhou pra mim sorrindo, como se entendesse meu receio, e perguntou: - Ele estava calmo? Eu olhei pra ela e nĂŁo aguentei: - Ele estava a ponto de ter um colapso nervoso. Certamente a jugular dele estava saltando no pescoço. Ela caiu na gargalhada e depois disse: - VocĂȘs dois vĂŁo se dar muito bem! VocĂȘ vai domar a fera, tenho certeza. Eu nĂŁo tinha essa certeza. Talvez eu nem devesse desfazer as malas, esse homem iria me engolir viva! LEARN_MORE https://alplk.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17914&ut Bom livro https://www.facebook.com/61559869885862/ 8,934 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 alplk.com VIDEO đŸ”„Mais grandes romances aquiđŸ”„ 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-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481248666_1421563312026878_8200491282250366486_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=fq3RtzL39vYQ7kNvgGlqbpH&_nc_oc=Adg_UvpfHZz5HCHmt_Ij4iVhOFAxbfNj2pW6DNkeAajj-qRA2WPcoDENBdiBiyXNwt8x6sGlik1yVDShvg7LfPNZ&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Amrtjl-S9dFodcB66DZRmL0&oh=00_AYDGIw4A1l7Aj5UprrHTwXm3Ko24G4ITwpbaP0uBUsS5CA&oe=67CC0A09 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Bom livro 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:49 active 2790 0 Liam Kelly for Justice Liam Kelly https://www.facebook.com/liamkellyforjustice/ 46 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VIDEO 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481949249_673413688590569_6291784688448581100_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=xn6ueidXo28Q7kNvgF0IcBF&_nc_oc=AdifA8XSJfnQbCUTGEcxMKkXaqshg24KAxKupQ29WMbjEB8hE37cNq30HCZIkI85V8ukzab53dF7yAyBPSm5H_4h&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AB2XUSfq3GT9heBGHdC1z3N&oh=00_AYAlf_eDy9GG0BXo1pYwGL9DY8dxzUuiwnu4pkM9hCqz6g&oe=67CC35E2 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Liam Kelly 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:50 active 2790 0 A Message from Fr. Donnelly as Lent Begins. #lent #AshWednesday NO_BUTTON Immaculate Conception Church - Madison Ohio https://www.facebook.com/ImmaculateConceptionChurchMadisonOhio/ 186 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 No button 0 VIDEO 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481477165_644121555230506_2760050780179543513_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=9yLSdl7QdocQ7kNvgGHkoyy&_nc_oc=AdjO4EzzIZVGKpIRuASnp7tpwOqdQZyosnYTdaZ908Wyme-fpjFycN0HdtqcyrfkurCph1PhYw6KwNhjaxaHQYxR&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AcXL6QLBWzRXtEboY3Y_yPv&oh=00_AYCQRKs5sxTcwdwM9qWN2gzHjmx7PPiYhOQsDJ63Krb4Zg&oe=67CC132F PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Immaculate Conception Church - Madison Ohio 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 18:28 active 2789 0 Enter to Win a Solar System! Illinois Solar Giveaway Ready to shine brighter than the rest? 🌞 Win a $20,000 solar system from Sun Solar today! Limited time offer. Don't miss out on this opportunity to power your future with sustainable energy. GET_OFFER http://fb.me/ Sun Solar https://www.facebook.com/MissouriSunSolar/ 41,751 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Get Offer 0 fb.me DCO http://fb.me/ 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481262336_1547818025883306_4205218899753223006_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=nhaxFoQu9hsQ7kNvgHJ1iBZ&_nc_oc=Adh08zVwkz5mmdr1dQARq4fnwEzQErEZScDz67xX4RiVp7AiDHFW48JDtJYIUoG1t3IshUR1gs_TiomX3tjyokqH&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=ATVzg97V14hAgKKQCkCwPw1&oh=00_AYBBtZc64mPYdKBVWNmMF60cq5CxAT_f1IPjF1xHz_wOdg&oe=67CBFF1B PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Sun Solar 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 19:10 active 2791 0 😍Read the next chapters👉 In Merika State, the two of them lay close together on the hotel bed. As their passion grew, Justin Yates’s husky voice, filled with allure, murmured, “Em, how about having a child with me?” Caught up in the moment, Emily Yates replied without thinking. It wasn’t until they were lying together afterward that she remembered what he had said. “A child?” she repeated, a trace of intimacy lingering in her eyes. The look stirred Justin’s desire again. She was a constant temptation to him. Pushing those thoughts aside, he pulled out a ring and slipped it onto her left hand. “Are you proposing to me?” she asked. “Yes.” “Can I finally have your child now?” Justin asked, smiling. His eyes were warm, but there was no love in them, as if he were gazing past her, waiting for someone else’s answer. “I’ll give you plenty,” she replied, momentarily surprised. Proposing in bed wasn’t exactly romantic or formal, but she didn’t mind. She had waited three years for this moment, and it was worth it. Three years ago, she had been injured near the beach, hitting her head on a rock. When she woke up, she had no memory. Justin had saved her. The first thing she saw when she woke was his face, and one look left her captivated. Later, she learned that Justin had paid her hospital bills. She also learned of his identity. He was the CEO of RC Corporation. He proposed that she be his contract lover, and without hesitation, she agreed. They signed an agreement, defining their relationship, and he gave her the name Emily Yates. Yes, she was drawn to his looks. Despite their arrangement, the past three years felt like any other relationship. In the first year, she was a hidden lover. In the second, he introduced her as his girlfriend to his circle. Now, with three years approaching, he was proposing. Once she was part of his social circle, she heard whispers about a woman who had been his first love, someone he cherished deeply in college. She had disappeared without a trace, and he had been searching for her ever since. Over the years, Justin had lost hope she was still alive. That was why he finally proposed. Emily didn’t mind. Everyone has a past. Looking at the diamond ring on her left ring finger, she felt like it had all been worth it. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Justin was showering. Calming down, Emily wrapped a towel around herself and got out of bed to pick up their scattered clothes. A soft *clink* echoed as something hit the floor. It was Justin’s cardholder. She bent down to pick it up, and a photo slipped out. It was old, with frayed edges, as if it had been looked at countless times. The woman in the photo looked like her but younger, just how she would have looked three years ago. Emily didn’t remember ever taking this photo, but she had lost her memory. Maybe she had forgotten. She was just about to put the cardholder back when a large, slender hand appeared, taking it from her. Justin emerged from the bathroom, his hair still damp and falling over his eyes, now tinged with a hint of displeasure. “Don’t touch my things,” he said coldly, his tone a sharp contrast to the intimacy they had just shared. Turning away from her, he put the cardholder back in his briefcase, his whole demeanor suddenly distant and guarded. Emily froze. Was he really getting defensive over a photo? She looked at him, confused. Wasn’t that her old picture? Before she could ask, Justin seemed to realize that his reaction had been out of line. He turned back and grasped her chin. With a playful glint in his eye, he ran his thumb over her still-swollen lips, toying with them. His voice was cool, devoid of warmth, but his words were deeply suggestive, clearly aiming to change the subject. “We’re going to be late for the art exhibit. If you rather stay here, I wouldn’t mind going another round.” Her cheeks flushed at his teasing, and she gently pushed him away. Her thoughts were scattered, and she quickly forgot about the photo. Justin had come to Merika State on business and had received an invitation to an art exhibition by Haley Quinn. He brought Emily along, planning to take her to the show once his work was done. Haley, a painter who had withdrawn from the public eye three years ago, rarely held exhibitions, making this one a rare event. Emily dressed quickly, while Justin had already changed into a fresh suit. The gallery was close to the hotel, so they walked there. Arm in arm, they strolled down the street, enjoying the perfect atmosphere. Just as Emily felt an overwhelming sense of happiness, Justin suddenly stopped. “Justin, what’s wrong?” She followed his gaze. Across the street, a disheveled woman, her clothes too dirty to recognize their original color, was recklessly crossing the traffic, oblivious to the danger. The woman pushed Emily aside and wrapped her arms tightly around Justin’s waist. She sobbed uncontrollably, gasping for air. “Justin, I finally found you. You came looking for me, didn’t you?” Emily stumbled from the shove, the bright sunlight momentarily blinding her. The woman looked eerily familiar. She resembled the one in the photo from the cardholder and, in a way, even looked like Emily herself. “Emma? Is that really you?” Justin’s voice trembled, his eyes locked onto the woman in his arms, as if afraid she might disappear again. Just moments ago, he had proposed to Emily. Now, right there in the street, he held another woman. He gently wiped away the woman’s tears with a tenderness so delicate, as if afraid of breaking something precious. “Yes, it’s me,” the woman sobbed, nodding desperately. Frail as she was, she clung to him. Justin was known for his fastidiousness and love of cleanliness, but he now held her tightly. He was soothing her with gentle words, as if she were a lost treasure he had finally recovered. He was afraid that even the slightest rough movement might hurt her. They seemed oblivious to everything around them, including Emily. Justin seemed to have forgotten Emily was still there. The woman in his arms had cried herself into unconsciousness. He took off his expensive jacket and draped it over her. He then slipped his arms under her knees and held her tightly as he carried her back toward the hotel. Emily stood there, feeling like an outsider. Her arm still ached from where she had been shoved, and she could still feel the warmth of Justin’s touch lingering around her waist. Just minutes ago, he had been tangled up with her in bed, proposing marriage. Now, he was leaving her in the middle of the street, carrying a woman who seemed to come out of nowhere. He had tossed aside his usual grace, holding this woman, who looked like a beggar, and rushed back to the hotel. The people around them pointed and whispered, like they were watching some sort of spectacle. Emily wanted to follow him, but her first step faltered. She steadied herself against a nearby building, catching a glimpse of her reflection in the window. Her flawless makeup now showed a hint of disarray. Chapter 2 Tears had fallen without her noticing, smudging the fresh makeup around her eyes. Emily glanced down at the diamond ring on her left hand, a sense of foreboding spreading through her. The sudden appearance of this woman might shatter the happiness she had been waiting for. She couldn’t just stand here. She had to know who this woman was. After a moment to gather herself, she headed back to the hotel. The plane flew from Merika State back to Haven State. At Lichfield Hospital, Emily stood at the door of a hospital room, arms crossed, trying to see inside through the window. Justin’s friend, Zac White, the director of Lichfield Hospital, along with other doctors, were examining the restless woman on the hospital bed. Two female nurses held her steady as they conducted their checks. On the plane, her face had already been cleaned, and she had been given fresh clothes. “Emma Xander? Hasn’t she... disappeared for the past four years?” Zac was shocked. Where had Justin found her? The Yates and White families had pulled every string they could to find Emma, but after four years with no trace, they had finally given up. And now, here she was. After completing their examination, the doctors and nurses left the room. A heavy silence fell over the space. A moment later, Justin’s voice seemed to echo from a distance as he gazed at the woman, now sound asleep after a sedative. “How is she doing?” “She’s malnourished, traumatized, and a bit disoriented, but otherwise fine. She just needs some time to recover.” Justin stood by her bedside, clearly prepared to stay with her. Zac hesitated, wanting to say something, but thought better of it and left the room. He opened the door to find Emily waiting outside. Feeling awkward for his friend, Zac adjusted his silver-framed glasses and greeted her with a polite smile. “Hi, Miss Yates.” Emily nodded in acknowledgment. “Dr. White, what’s her name? And what is her relationship with Justin?” she asked bluntly, desperate to know who this woman was. Zac hesitated, uncertain how to explain that Emma was Justin’s long-lost first love. This was his friend’s private matter, after all, and not his to reveal. Before he could find the words, Justin opened the door and saw them standing outside. He frowned, clearly displeased. “Didn’t I tell you to go home? Why are you still here?” Justin’s voice dripped with disdain and impatience, as if his irritation had taken on a life of its own. Emily stood her ground, unafraid. She needed answers. “You proposed to me in Merika State just 16 hours ago, but now you’re holding another woman and completely ignoring me. And you’re not even coming home? Staying out all night?” “Stop being unreasonable. Leave. Now,” he ordered, his voice cold and commanding, his gaze on her as though she were an unruly employee who had crossed the line. Seeing Justin’s dark expression, Zac stepped in, concerned that Emily might end up on the losing side of this argument. When Justin was angry, it rarely boded well for anyone. “It’s late. Let me arrange a car to take Miss Yates home,” Zac offered, trying to ease the tension. Emily, however, refused Zac’s offer. She wasn’t leaving without answers. “You think I’m being unreasonable? I’m your fiancĂ©e. You left me on the street in a foreign country to carry another woman away without a second thought. Did you ever consider how I felt? “I’ll go, but only if you leave the hospital with me. There are doctors and nurses here to care for that woman. Right now, you’re coming home with me.” Desperate, Emily reached out to grab Justin’s arm. But before she could make contact, her arm was blocked by Justin’s personal bodyguard, William Carter. Emily was stunned, unable to believe what she was seeing. It felt as though her heart was being torn in two. Justin had always been there for her, always caring, always the first to pick up her calls, no matter if he was in a meeting or on a business trip. If she ever needed him, he would show up immediately. If she couldn’t be reached, he would search the whole city until he found her. But now, with this woman in the hospital room, he wouldn’t even let her near him? “What do you mean by this?” Emily’s voice trembled, mirroring the unease in her heart. Justin didn’t respond. He stared at her with cold, detached eyes, as if she were a stranger and not the fiancĂ©e he had just proposed to. Time seemed to stretch, each second feeling like an eternity. Finally, he spoke, his words sharp and emotionless. “Don’t be childish.” Childish? Once, he had said he loved how she depended on him, how she claimed him for herself. And now he was calling her childish? “If you want to stay here with her, then what about our marriage? You proposed to me just today!” Emily’s heart ached, squeezing painfully in her chest. She knew it wasn’t the right moment to bring this up, but she couldn’t accept the idea that her future husband would spend the night in the hospital with another woman. Zac stood nearby, listening in shock. Marriage? Had Justin really proposed to Emily? And what about Emma in the hospital room? Justin glanced over his shoulder, worried that the woman asleep in the hospital bed might hear them and wake up. Emily noticed the concern in his eyes. It was an expression she had seen many times when he had worried about her. But now, that look was for someone else. He turned back to Emily, his voice still icy. “If you don’t want to get married, we can call it off. This isn’t the place for your drama. William, have the driver take her home.” He didn’t like being threatened, especially when it came to his marriage. Without another glance at her, he opened the door to the hospital room and went back inside. William stepped forward, maintaining his respectful tone. “Miss Yates, please don’t make this difficult for me. It’s time for you to go home.” Zac looked at Emily with sympathy. “Miss Yates, it’s late. Maybe it’s best to talk things over with Justin another time.” But how could they ever discuss this again? Her fiancĂ© had just left her humiliated, choosing to stay with another woman without a care for her dignity. The hospital hallway lights felt harsh, blinding her with their brightness. Realizing that staying there made her look like a fool, Emily decided she wouldn’t let herself be a spectacle for others to watch. Clenching her purse tightly, Emily turned to leave. As she took a step, her vision blurred, and she nearly collapsed. Both Zac and William rushed to steady her, their grip gentlemanly but firm. “I’ll walk you to the car,” Zac offered. Leaning against the wall, Emily took a moment to steady herself, then shook her head. “I’m fine. I can get back on my own.” Her footsteps wobbled as she walked down the hallway, but she managed to keep her head high until she was out of their sight. After returning to the hospital room, Justin glanced down at Emma, who lay pale and frail on the bed. A strange weight settled in his chest, and the pervasive smell of antiseptic only added to his irritation. He tugged at his shirt collar, unbuttoning the top two buttons, but the air still felt suffocating. He stepped back out into the hallway, finding Zac and William waiting there. Emily was gone. “She left?” he asked, visibly more at ease now that she was no longer around. He didn’t want her disturbing Emma’s rest. “Yes, she’s gone,” Zac replied, hands in the pockets of his lab coat, nodding. With both of them standing there, Justin didn’t bother asking how Emily had left. “I’m stepping out for a break,” he said. Chapter 3 “So, Emma Xander’s back. What are you going to do?” Zac asked, breaking the silence. He didn’t mention Emily, but they both knew what he meant. One woman was the college sweetheart, the first love who had once saved Justin’s life. The other was the girlfriend who had been with him for three years, sharing his most intimate moments, and now, his fiancĂ©e. After a long pause, Justin replied, his voice cold and detached. “She was just a stand-in. She could never compare to Emma.” He went on, his tone utterly indifferent, as if he hadn’t been the one to propose to Emily in Merika State. “The role of Mrs. Yates will never be hers. It can only belong to Emma.” In a way, Emily had saved him the trouble of saying it himself when she had brought up their marriage in the hallway. Zac and Justin had been close friends since childhood, both growing up in privileged families, each carrying a bit of that self-centered mindset typical of their social circle. But this time, Zac couldn’t help feeling sorry for Emily. Emily, though an orphan with no family or wealth, was straightforward and honest. Over the past three years, she had complemented Justin perfectly, and in Zac’s eyes, they had seemed genuinely happy together. On the other hand, considering how long Emma had been abroad, it wasn’t hard to guess what she might have gone through. Zac didn’t care about things like V-card or a woman’s past, but he had always found Emma to be somewhat pretentious. Even back in college, she often disregarded Justin’s concerns, running off on her own without a second thought. After graduation, she mysteriously vanished during an overseas reunion party organized by a close group of alumni. Despite mobilizing every possible connection, they never found her. Even the police suggested they give up, implying that a young woman disappearing overseas was likely gone for good. At that time, Justin hadn’t fully taken over the company and wasn’t yet experienced in handling crises like these. Around the same time, his father, Henry Yates, was in a car accident and died despite emergency treatment. After the funeral, Justin was suddenly thrust into the dual responsibilities of inheriting the company and fending off his uncle, Harry Yates, who was trying to seize control. Thanks to his grandfather’s intervention, Justin managed to stabilize the corporation. By then, the critical window to find Emma had long passed, and any chance of finding her had all but disappeared. Zac clearly remembered how Justin had been consumed with frustration and self-blame during those days. And then Emily had come into his life, bringing him some peace. For that, Zac was truly grateful to her. “Emily’s been with you for three years,” Zac said, trying to speak up for her. “She’s an orphan, with no one else in the world. Isn’t it a bit cruel to treat her like this?” “Then I’ll keep her around,” Justin replied casually, brushing it off like it was no big deal. “But marriage? That’s not going to happen.” His tone was so offhanded, as if having another woman around didn’t matter at all. He didn’t see a problem with it. Keep her around? Really? Was he expecting her to stay hidden away as his stand-in lover, someone he kept out of sight? A mistress? A side piece? Emily didn’t leave the hospital right away. She sat on a bench behind the flower bed, letting the cold night air wash over her. She hadn’t expected to find out the truth like this. It turned out she was only here because she happened to look almost exactly like his lost one true love. And since she had lost her memory, he saw the perfect opportunity to mold her into the image of the woman he truly missed, hiding the truth from her and using her as a substitute. All the affection and indulgence he had shown her, it was never really for her. It was for the woman he had lost. Emma Xander. So that was her name, the one he had loved all his life. That was why he named her Emily, a name that allowed him to keep calling out for the one he had always loved. Even in their most intimate moments, he would call her “Em.” Whenever he whispered “Em” in that deep, seductive voice, full of passion, she would lose herself completely, sinking further into him. It turned out he was simply looking at her face and calling out another woman’s name all along. It dawned on her that the photo in Justin’s wallet must have been of Emma, not her. She had foolishly assumed the woman in that picture was herself. What a joke. From start to finish, Justin had shaped her into the image of his hidden love, his one true love. And she had naively believed that she had won him over, making him fall in love with her. In truth, she was nothing more than a piece in their story. Emily felt her heart plunge from a mountaintop to the depths of despair. She had gone from being a proud fiancĂ©e to a hidden stand-in, a shadow. She had liked, maybe even loved Justin. But her pride couldn’t accept that she had been someone else’s replacement all along, or that she was now the secret other woman. Resolved to leave, she felt a small sense of relief that Justin had only proposed. They weren’t married yet, and breaking up would be far easier than going through a divorce. For a moment, she felt grateful for Emma’s sudden appearance. “Miss Yates, where are you?” the driver called, stepping out of the car after waiting a while. “I’m here.” Emily pulled herself from her thoughts, putting on her usual calm expression. “Is it just you? Where’s Mr. Yates?” he asked. “He’s not coming back.” Emily rose from the bench by the flower bed and walked back to the car with the driver. She wore a cream-colored, knee-length dress in a sweet, innocent style. As an artist, she was open to trying any look, but it was Justin who had said he liked this style. So, for the past three years, she had dressed this way for him. The spring breeze brushed her bare calves, sending a chill through her. Zac looked a bit uncomfortable, “Emily didn’t leave?” So, she had heard everything they had said. Justin’s tone was just as indifferent, cold, and unfeeling. “Good. Let her hear it. She needs to know her place and avoid causing any more scenes like tonight.” With that, he turned and walked away from the garden, completely unfazed by the fact that Emily had overheard him. Emily sat quietly during the ride back to Villa One. Mrs. Zimmer greeted her at the door, her face lighting up warmly after a few days apart. “You’re back! It must’ve been tiring, traveling with Mr. Yates.” Emily nodded wearily, barely acknowledging her. “Yes.” “Where’s Mr. Yates?” Mrs. Zimmer glanced behind her, looking for Justin. “He won’t be back tonight.” Emily’s voice was detached, as if his return made no difference to her. Mrs. Zimmer looked slightly disappointed at first, but then her face lit up with a knowing smile, the kind that came from having seen a lot in life. She took Emily’s suitcase and gently urged her to go get some rest in the bedroom. Once inside, Emily understood Mrs. Zimmer’s smile. The room was dimly lit, with candles arranged at various heights, casting a soft, romantic glow. Flowers and scented candles adorned the surfaces, and a bottle of champagne sat open on the table. Even the usual heavy gray curtains had been replaced with delicate lace, adding an air of intimacy. The bed was covered in thick rose petals, the entire room transformed into a romantic setting. Clearly, this had been Justin’s arrangement before their trip. Exhausted, Emily didn’t have the energy to clean up, and it was too late to bother Mrs. Zimmer. Chapter 4 Emily found the remote to turn on the lights, then looked for something handy to snuff out each candle one by one. Afterward, she retrieved her nightgown from the closet and headed for a shower. As she walked into the bathroom, she noticed the ring still on her left hand. She slipped it off and tossed it into the corner of her jewelry box. When she returned to the bedroom, she brushed all the rose petals off the bed and settled under the covers, pulling them over her head. She instinctively lay on the left side of the bed, where she was used to sleeping. Justin would always hold her close, gradually shifting over to the left with her until they were practically glued together. Now, the right side of the bed was glaringly empty. To fill the space, she scooted to the center, tossing the extra pillow onto the floor, finally feeling comfortable. She turned off the lights and went to sleep. Two days passed without any word from Justin. He was likely at the hospital with Emma or busy with work. Emily didn’t care and hadn’t reached out, maintaining a complete radio silence. The morning sun was bright, and the spring breeze was warm as she lounged on a deck chair in the villa’s garden, enjoying a face mask. Her mind wandered to practical matters. She had spent some time reviewing the contract she signed three years ago to be Justin’s “contract lover.” It was set to expire automatically after three years, which was now less than four months away. When it ended, she would receive a payout of twenty million. Between that, and the allowance and holiday bonuses he had given her over the years, she had saved nearly six million. She had barely spent any of it, so it was all tucked away. It seemed she would be in decent shape financially, and finding a job after leaving wouldn’t be too hard. As for a place to live, she could buy a similarly sized home, and maybe invite Helen to move in as a roommate. It would be nice to have company. She did regret not being able to take Mrs. Zimmer with her. If she could, it would be perfect. The phone on the coffee table buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. Emily picked it up, unlocked it with her fingerprint, and a new message notification popped up at the top of the screen. She tapped to open it. It was from her friend, Helen Walker. They had met a year ago while shopping, when Helen insisted on becoming friends after seeing her just once. With no memory of any past friendships, Emily had found Helen easy to talk to, and they had gradually become close. “How was your time in Merika State? When are you coming back?” Helen had attached a mischievous emoji with a smirk. “I’m already back.” “Already? That was quick.” “I thought Justin looked strong. Guess he didn’t last long? Not up to it?” “Not just ‘not up to it’. He can’t even get started.” Emily replied, seizing the chance to curse him. On the other end, Helen raised an eyebrow. It looked like Justin had managed to tick off her friend. But she wasn’t too concerned as they had argued before. Couples fought, and it usually blew over. “Perfect timing then. I’m heading to the TC Mall in a bit to stock up on some new clothes. Let’s hit the mall together and grab some food afterward. Get ready and meet me there.” “Sounds good. I’ll see you at the mall.” Emily agreed readily. She had spent the past couple of days clearing out the sweet, youthful clothes she didn’t like. Her wardrobe could use a refresh. She put down the phone and washed off her face mask. Glancing at the nearly empty wardrobe, she picked out a casual athletic outfit and did a quick, simple makeup look. Fresh and tidy, she got ready to head out. “Mrs. Zimmer, I’m meeting a friend to go shopping. I’ll have lunch out,” Emily said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Alright, Miss Yates. Will you be back for dinner?” Mrs. Zimmer, who was supervising the housekeeper’s cleaning, looked up to ask. Emily paused while slipping on her shoes, thinking about how unpredictable Helen could be and that they hadn’t seen each other in a while. She might not be back for dinner. “Not sure yet. I’ll text you later if I’ll be back in time.” “Understood.” As Emily opened the door, she found Justin’s assistant, Sam Spencer, just about to knock. “Hi, Sam,” she greeted him coolly, planning to step around him to leave. “Hi, Miss Yates. Mr. Yates has a flight out of town this afternoon for a business trip. Could I trouble you to help pack his things before you go?” Sam’s tone was respectful, as usual. Emily didn’t move. “Mrs. Zimmer, Justin’s going on a trip. Could you please help with his packing?” “Miss Yates, this
?” Sam’s face showed confusion. “What? Before I came along, didn’t Justin have someone to handle his luggage?” Her expression was calm, her tone light. “Of course. You’re absolutely right, Miss Yates,” Sam replied, beads of sweat forming as he carefully balanced his response, not daring to offend either side. In the past, Emily had always packed for Justin’s business trips. She had done it so many times that she knew exactly what he would need for any occasion. But now, she had no desire to continue. He had used her as a stand-in, and every time he watched her pack his bags, he must have thought she looked foolish. Three years. Now that she thought back, there had been plenty of strange looks and behaviors from Justin that she hadn’t picked up on. She had been utterly blind. But she wouldn’t be foolish anymore. Emily was ready to leave, but Sam was blocking the door, preventing her from going. She urged Mrs. Zimmer to hurry with the packing. Mrs. Zimmer quickly filled the suitcase and handed it to Sam, who was waiting in the living room. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes had barely passed. That was fast. "Mrs. Zimmer, are you sure it’s all packed? Should we check to make sure nothing’s missing?" he asked cautiously. Emily replied without emotion, “Isn’t the flight at noon? If you keep dragging your feet, he’ll miss it. Besides, anything he needs can be bought over there.” She checked her watch, starting to feel a bit pressed for time. If she delayed much longer, Helen would end up waiting impatiently, and they would miss out on shopping before lunch. And who wanted to try on clothes with a full stomach? “Of course, Miss Yates. I’ll head over to the office to pick up Mr. Yates,” Sam said with a polite smile, making his way out. Emily nodded and headed down to the garage. She chose a white luxury car and drove off. Meanwhile, Sam took the suitcase to the sleek black car parked discreetly by the curb. He placed it in the trunk, then settled into the front passenger seat. The driver, Justin’s bodyguard, William, started the car. But instead of heading to the airport, they were bound for Lichfield Hospital. “How much longer until Emily’s contract is up?” Justin’s voice was calm and emotionless, as if he were discussing a routine business matter. Sam immediately understood that the question was directed at him. He quickly recalled the contract details. “Less than four months, Mr. Yates.” “Draft a new agreement and deliver it to her when the time comes,” Justin instructed. Keeping her around for three years had cost him little, and continuing to support her wasn’t an issue. But he was done with her. He wouldn’t touch her again or return to Villa One. Recalling the scene from the hospital hallway two nights ago, he added without hesitation, “Include a clause that ensures she never shows up in front of Emma again.” Sam was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his professional composure. “Understood, Mr. Yates.” Chapter 5 People said billionaires were cold and indifferent in their personal lives, switching women as easily as they changed clothes. For the past three years, Mr. Yates had only been with Miss Yates, making him seem like a devoted man. But it looked like he could move on in an instant. Who knew how long Miss Xander would last by his side? Sam had joined the company three years ago, right when Justin took over RC Corporation, so he wasn’t familiar with the complicated history between Emma and Justin. Inside TC Mall, Emily was browsing through clothes, each piece a far cry from her usual sweet and innocent style. “Babe, switching things up?” Helen asked, watching as Emily picked up a long black dress with a slitted hem. It would look stunning on Emily’s curves. Emily held the dress up to herself in the mirror, unfazed. “Yep, time for a change. Do you think this would look better with a shawl or a jacket?” She turned to give Helen a look. “A shawl, definitely. It’ll highlight your figure beautifully,” Helen replied with her usual style advice. “That’s what I thought too.” Helen eyed the dress. “That dress is so feminine. Will your guy even let you wear it out? Doesn’t Justin only let you wear those sweet, innocent schoolgirl outfits?” Helen couldn’t help but mentally criticize Justin’s taste. What kind of fashion sense did he have anyway? A multinational CEO, a man with a grip on the Haven State economy, yet he liked her to dress like a schoolgirl. “His taste doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not something I’m concerned about,” Emily replied casually, completely indifferent. She handed the dress to a fitting assistant with a similar build, having her try it on for her. High-end stores like this one often had staff who modeled the clothes for clients, so she didn’t have to try them on herself. Emily picked out a few more items in different styles for the assistant to model. If she liked them, she would buy them. When she was satisfied with her choices, she scanned her card and paid, then filled out the delivery details for Villa One. The clothes would be sent straight there. After they had finished shopping, they went for lunch. With no one else around, Emily finally shared her situation with Helen that she had been Justin’s stand-in for his one true love. Now that his true love had returned, she was planning to leave him. “That despicable man!” Helen burst out, her emotions flaring. “Keep it down.” Emily quickly covered Helen’s mouth and glanced around to see if anyone at nearby tables was paying attention to them. Helen lowered her voice but was still fuming. “Justin might look put-together, but he’s not even half a man. His first love disappears, so he goes and finds a stand-in? “Why didn’t he just get plastic surgery to look like her? Then he could see her every time he looked in the mirror. “Good for you for walking away. You should break up with him. No! Just breaking up is too good for that pompous human garbage! You need to dump him into the sewers!” LMAO, where did Helen even learn these insults from? Just then, the server brought out a tray with seasoned meats, fresh vegetables, and a variety of salsas. Emily began assembling her own tacos, adding the toppings she liked best. “The contract’s up in four months. I’m planning to buy a place.” “What for? Just stay with me. I’ve got a room for you.” “My address is still tied to Justin’s place. Since I’ve decided to leave, I need a clean break. I’ll need my own place to change everything over,” Emily explained, outlining her plan. Her heart felt numb now, no longer as raw as it had been the night she’d learned the truth in the hospital garden. “Then you can cancel your lease and move in with me! We’ll be family!" Emily suggested excitedly. Helen suppressed the impulse to tell Emily that they were already family. Given Emily's amnesia, she didn’t want to overwhelm her with too much information all at once. Instead, she nodded. “Alright, I’ll move in with you. I’ll start looking around for a place for you. Actually the place I rent now is quite nice. The location and neighborhood are perfect. I’ll check if the landlord’s interested in selling, though it’s a resale property.” “I don’t care if it’s new or used. As long as it’s clean and ready to go, I’m good.” Emily didn’t need much. After leaving the cushy life she had been used to, she was perfectly fine doing things on her own. She found the independence kind of refreshing. After lunch, they picked up some accessories to go with the new outfits, light enough to carry back on her own. Emily said goodbye to Helen and drove back to Villa One. By the time she got back, the clothes she had bought that morning had already been delivered, ironed, and neatly hung in the walk-in closet by the house staff. She hadn’t bought much, just enough to last the next few months and to keep the move as hassle-free as possible. The women’s side of the closet was nearly empty, with only a few of her favorite pieces hanging. She grabbed a new loungewear set to change into and happened to glance over at the men’s side, packed with Justin’s clothes. Emily didn’t linger. She strode past it without a second thought. As she was heading to the bathroom, her phone rang from the sofa. She put down the clothes and picked up the call. “Hello, is this Miss Yates?” “Yes, this is.” “I’m a nurse from Lichfield Hospital. Your health screening results are in. When would be a convenient time for you to come pick them up?” Emily remembered that Justin had taken her for a checkup just before their trip to Merika State. She had forgotten all about it until this call. “I’ll come by tomorrow morning.” “Very well. Have a nice day.” The next day, Emily went to Lichfield Hospital. “Plan to have a baby?” “That’s right. Mr. Yates specifically requested it during his screening. Your health is excellent, Miss Yates. Your ovulation cycle is regular, so we recommend folic acid, Vitamin B1, and plenty of protein. With the right timing and frequency, you should be expecting good news soon.” The doctor adjusted his glasses and smiled warmly. Emily’s fingers tightened around the report, a heavy feeling settling in her chest. She had been trying hard not to think about Justin lately, but this report hit her unexpectedly hard. “Miss Yates, I’ll prescribe you two boxes of folic acid and Vitamin B1. Be sure to take them regularly.” Emily interrupted him, finding an excuse to refuse. “Thanks, doctor, but that won’t be necessary. I’ll get them on my own.” The doctor wasn’t surprised. Wealthy women like her often had access to premium brands from various sources, so declining hospital-prescribed supplements wasn’t unusual. Emily left the hospital in a daze, only coming to her senses when she reached a sunny spot outside. She tossed the health report into the trash bin. With Emma back, Justin clearly had no intention of having children with her. And she certainly didn’t want to give him one, either. It was easier to pretend she didn’t know what the checkup had really been for. Meanwhile, in the hospital’s garden, the spring sunlight was warm and gentle. Justin was pushing Emma’s wheelchair, letting her enjoy the sunshine. “Justin, you’re busy with work. You don’t have to be here with me all the time. I can manage on my own,” Emma said, her voice soft and considerate. “Focus on getting better. Don’t worry about anything else.” Justin felt a deep guilt about Emma’s disappearance, blaming himself for not protecting her better. He believed his negligence had allowed her to be taken and vanish without a trace. Over the past few days, he had tried to gather clues from her about what happened, but whenever he brought it up, she would break down, unable to share any details. Emily hadn’t expected to see Justin at the hospital. Hadn’t Sam said Justin was out of town on a business trip? LEARN_MORE https://www.lzwnyvvd.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=1 Random Reading https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/ 375 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 www.lzwnyvvd.com VIDEO https://www.lzwnyvvd.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=18085&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/t39.35426-6/477195397_1717400845490330_1803171411184655549_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=I3zqrTcCLvYQ7kNvgHTYgi8&_nc_oc=AdhlDsdarl3dx0X8Oxh3TeCPg3kMKghxQam2QzOmNgaRV5jyGa7YoLVVkpFRFp3WOU_a5qLIFCK_Xcmd4w51a1D0&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A9iapwPRn7WgUHe-EO9Q2lS&oh=00_AYB-cx_oVDVsbtkpnYLqOhcsFogWXi09h-C-AJGBLSMTpw&oe=67CC30CE PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Random Reading 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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No 2025-03-03 19:09 active 2791 0 🔞Attention! Do not read in publicïŒđŸ‘‰ "Are... are you sure, Esther?" I ask with a broken voice. My heart races, filled with happiness. "Very sure, Luna. You're carrying a little wolf!" "Why haven't I been able to smell it, or his father?" I ask, worried. "It's very recent, perhaps that's why. Give it a few more days and you should be able to sense the pheromones." She replies, and I nod, my eyes blurred with tears. I am the Luna of the "Autumn Forest" pack. Three years ago, I married the man I love madly, despite not being destined mates, my Alpha Dorian. I've given everything to be the perfect Luna, the pillar he can lean on. However, a shadow looms over my marriage—the topic of an heir. I've never been able to get pregnant, and I admit I don't share the bed with Dorian as often. But I know his duties as Alpha keep him extremely busy and stressed. "Please, don't tell anyone in the pack. I want to surprise my husband." "Don't worry, Luna, I won't say anything. Congratulations!" She smiles at me, and I return the smile, overflowing with excitement and happiness. Despite being a foreigner, not originally belonging to this pack, ever since my parents died and the previous Alpha took me in, I've never felt rejected or looked down upon. That's why I've devoted myself fully to my duties as Luna. I'm grateful for my life and the wonderful man I'm married to. ***** "What's with all this food? Is there going to be a party?" "Hands off!" I swat away the greedy claws of Sophia, my best friend, who sneaked in through the back kitchen door. "But wow, puff pastry tart and everything!" she says, sitting on a stool. Honestly, I may have gone a bit overboard with the dishes, but I'm so happy I want everything to be perfect. All my Alpha's favorite foods are ready! "Well, today is Dorian's and my anniversary. I want to celebrate with an intimate dinner," I say, turning back to the caramel on the stove. I don't hear her respond, so I turn halfway, curious. "What's wrong?" "N-nothing, nothing... I just heard the Alpha had an emergency today. Didn't he tell you?" she asks, and I frown. Actually, Dorian doesn't usually explain much about his work. I guess it's to avoid worrying me. "No, but he'll come back anyway. He knows today is special." I respond, completely convinced. She looks at me strangely. Lately, I can't quite understand her, but she's the first person who approached me in this pack and has always supported me. I value her greatly as a friend. "Sophie, there's something I want to tell you, but... I'll tell you tomorrow. It's very important to me," I say suddenly, wanting to share the good news with her, but not before confessing it to Dorian. "Really? Can't you tell me now?" she asks, gossip-mode activated, leaning over the counter while munching on a homemade cookie. "No, no. Tomorrow. I promise you'll be the second to know," I reply, and I can feel my happiness radiating from every pore. "Fine, I'll leave you with your mystery then. I've got things to do. Happy anniversary," she grumbles, frustrated I didn't spill the secret, and leaves the same way she came. I check the clock. There's still time. I take off my apron and head to the second floor to shower and get dressed nicely. Everything has to be perfect tonight, celebrating with my beloved mate. ***** I glance at the clock for the thousandth time, sitting on the sofa. It's past midnight, and Dorian hasn't arrived. I look at the cold dishes on the dining table and get up, resigned to reheating them again. I'm in the middle of that task when I hear the front door open and close. His delicious scent tingles my nose, warming my stomach. I glance at my burgundy dress, smoothing it out and fixing my hair in the hallway mirror. My jet-black hair is tied in a high ponytail, and my intensely blue eyes, highlighted with makeup, stare back at me. I step into the foyer, watching my imposing Alpha enter the door. "My love, how was your day? Lots of work, right?" I grab the coat he's holding to hang it up. I see him clutching some documents, but I assume they're pack matters. I move closer to kiss him, but he steps back. "I'm sweaty and dirty from the road. Don't contaminate yourself," he says, his piercing honey eyes staring at me—eyes I adore despite their constant coldness. It's just part of his nature. He carries too many responsibilities after inheriting the role so young when his father died. His blond hair is messily handsome, and for some reason, damp. I can even catch the scent of an unfamiliar shower gel. Why would he shower before coming home? And he said he was dirty, yet it's clear he just bathed. "S-sure, give me a second to reheat dinner. You must be hungry..." "I'm not hungry. Valeria, we need to talk." "But the dinner—" "Forget dinner. Let's go to the living room. I need to tell you something," his authoritative voice makes me tense. I follow him, starting to feel deeply worried. My hand slips into my skirt pocket, clutching the folded document stating I'm having his baby. "Why was the table so full of dishes? Were you planning a party?" he asks, glancing at the dining room. My heart clenches. "Love, I know you've been busy with pack duties. But... don't tell me you forgot our anniversary? Today marks three years since we mated," I say, sitting on the couch. I expect him to sit beside me, but instead, he chooses the armchair opposite. Dorian has never been overly affectionate, but tonight he's too distant. Too cold. An alarm goes off inside me. "Of course, I remembered. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for our third anniversary," he replies, but I don't see a trace of joy in his expression. I know everything will change with my news. Our relationship hasn't been great because of this. The pack elders keep pressuring him for an heir. When I tell him about the baby, he'll be happy. "I'll be quick because I can't stand this any—" "Wait! Wait, Dorian. Let me show you something first, and then you can tell me what you wanted to say," I interrupt him, feeling a strong premonition, I won't like his next words. Lowering my head, I take out the folded paper and hand it to him, my heart racing with emotion. He takes it, reading silently as I watch him, anxious, waiting for his joy to match mine. "I'm pregnant! I'm carrying your pup! We'll have an heir for the pack. I'm sure the Goddess has blessed us with a son!" I can't hold back and blurt it out directly. Tears in my eyes, I rise and move toward him, wanting to embrace him. But as in love as I am, even I can see this isn't the reaction I expected from the father of my child. "Are you sure about this, or is it just a trick to keep me tied to you?" he suddenly says, rising and pushing me away when I try to hug him. "Dorian... Of course, I'm sure. Look, that's the midwife's handwriting. Why would I lie about something so important? My love, what's wrong? What's happening, my Alpha?" "No, no. Damn it!" I watch him pace like a caged wolf around the living room. "This can't be happening. Not now!" "Dorian..." "Did you tell my mother? Anyone else?!" he asks suddenly, approaching me and gripping my shoulders tightly. "N-no, love. I was waiting to tell you first. I thought... you'd be happy. I know they've been pressuring you. Alpha, you don't have to be tense anymore. We'll have our family." I raise a trembling hand to caress his cheek, but he just stares at me with those golden eyes, silent. I can't figure out what's going on in his head. "You're right... I've been very stressed. I'm sorry," he suddenly pulls me into his arms, and I finally sigh, relieved, hugging him back tenderly. For a second, I feared he wasn't happy. "We'll get through this together, my Alpha. I'll be the perfect Luna so no one will judge you," I whisper, lifting my head. I want him to kiss me, to make love to me like we haven't in a long time. "Let's go for a run. A wild, unrestricted anniversary night." He suddenly suggests it, taking my hand and pulling me toward the back of our house, which borders the pack's forest. "Shift into your she-wolf," he commands, and I watch him undressing. He's so charming and strong. His hair glows under the moonlight, and I begin the transformation into my "she-wolf," one of the greatest lies and secrets of my life—something not even Dorian knows. ***** We run freely across the pack's lands. But I notice how we keep going farther and farther, even crossing the borders, yet I just follow Dorian's massive white wolf racing wildly ahead of me. We reach a remote place, at the edge of a deep cliff, but above us, the moon shines intensely, and the forest landscape stretches far below. "Where is this? We're outside our pack's territory... Aren't we trespassing on someone's land?" I gaze into the distance from the edge, mesmerized by the view, having already shifted back into human form, but no one responds. I feel uneasy and start to turn around. However, something inside me stirs with alarm. A crow caws in the distance—but it's already too late. "Do... Dorian, wha—?! Aaaaaahhh!" I scream as I feel wolf claws tearing into my abdomen, deeply ripping through me. Terrified and shocked by the sudden attack, I try to run. I attempt to shift back into my wolf to escape into the forest, away from whatever is happening, away from this rabid Alpha wolf whose blood-red eyes glare at me with pure hatred—but it's impossible to flee. "Ahhh! Let me go! Dorian, what are you doing?! What are you doing?! Ahhh! Help! Help!" I scream as he jumps on me when I try to escape. C2 THE WORST BETRAYAL VALERIA He bites my thigh viciously and drags me beneath his body, controlling me mercilessly. I try to resist, to call for help, my hands clutching my stomach, trying to protect my pup, but his claws, like deadly weapons, pierce my skin, tearing apart my small, vulnerable body. I have to raise my arms instinctively when his sharp claws aim for my face, and I scream in agony as a deep wound slices across my cheek from my forehead. Leaving my belly exposed, he struck our child. "Nooo, not the pup, please, Dorian, not our son!" Tears poured endlessly from my eyes as I begged him, but his canines tore through my flesh, and his claws dug into the depths of my insides with chilling cruelty, seeking to rip out the life growing inside me. I don’t know how long this agony lasted—I sobbed, pleading as long as I could speak. The pain in my entire body was unbearable, but worse was the pain in my soul, bleeding and shattered. I was discarded on the ground like trash, on the edge of a precipice, my consciousness nearly slipping away from the pain when I saw him shift into his human form. "You thought you could keep me tied to you forever?" he yelled furiously. His eyes were cold and disgusted, a look I had never seen before. "Did you really think I loved you, that I was dying to have a child with you? What a waste!" He kicked me with rage, but I no longer had the strength to even moan in pain. "Three damn years I've been separated from my mate because of you!" he roared, pouring out all the hatred he'd stored up over time. "Why
?" I barely managed to whisper, my face swollen, my tongue heavy, and my throat bleeding from a deep wound. "Because you came to the pack, the miserable orphan, and that old lady said you would give birth to the strongest Alphas, powerful enough to elevate my bloodline." "Pure nonsense from that crazy old hag, but my mother believed her and forced me to give up my mate for you because you were infatuated with me! She gave me three damn years—that was our deal. If you didn’t succeed, I’d be free." "So, today I come, ready to rid myself of an obstacle like you, and you say that you’re carrying my son," he laughed like a psychopath. "I won’t let you do it again, Valeria. You won't ruin my life again. This is the end for you!" He walked toward me, and I saw death staring me in the face. I wanted to say so many things... «I didn't know you already loved someone else. I was just a foolish, infatuated girl, but I never forced you to love me back. How could you deceive me, fake everything all this time? Our child
 how could you
 how could you do this
?!» I felt so powerless as I lay there, sobbing, bloody, and dying. I wished I could connect with his wolf, scream out this injustice, but I couldn’t—not even that. I didn’t have an inner she-wolf. I could only shift my body and pretend. Some said it was trauma from my adoptive parents’ violent death, where only I survived. Others claimed it was a curse, but I knew that wasn't true. I had never felt the presence of a wolf spirit within me. "Goodbye, dear wife. You don't seem so special after all," he said cynically, and with his foot, he kicked me over the cliff's edge. The last thing I knew was the sensation of falling into the cold void. I looked up at the dark sky as shadows of crows circled above my head, like messengers of death. "I'm so sorry, baby. I couldn't protect you." ***** "Why aren't her wounds healing properly?" "I can't waste the pack's blood on a stranger. Jake already did too much rescuing her from the rogue woods. She has to heal on her own." "Honestly, I don't even know how this woman is still alive. Poor thing
 her body is horribly damaged, especially her belly
 and her face." I heard voices talking nearby, hands examining me. An unbearable pain worse than death itself burned through my body, dragging me between consciousness and darkness. I don’t know how much time passed or where I was, but when I opened my eyes, I saw a white ceiling. I looked around and saw a small room, lying on a personal bed. "You're awake?" a female voice spoke suddenly beside me, and I saw an unfamiliar face. I tried to speak, but for some reason, I couldn't—it was as if my vocal cords refused to work. "Don't strain yourself. Stay calm. You
 I don't think you can talk right now because of the wound on your neck," she explained with a troubled expression. And then, my foggy mind remembered—everything. The first thing I did was reach for my belly, trying to sit up despite the dizziness and searing pain. "Don't move! Wait, calm down, calm down!" she stopped me and eased me back down, but I needed to know—desperately—I had to know if a miracle had occurred. I looked at her intensely and then at my stomach, wrapped in thick bandages. "Yes
 I understand what you're asking, but
 I'm sorry
 your belly was completely torn. Your womb was destroyed, and your pup
 didn't make it. It was impossible to save him. We don't even know how you're still alive." I felt the tears pouring uncontrollably from my eyes. I closed them in pure agony, my soul shattering. My lips trembled, my entire body shook, and ragged sobs escaped my torn throat. Why did this have to happen to me? Why did everything around me have to turn into a nightmare? My baby, my pup was innocent. Why did something so horrible have to happen to him? "Calm down, please! You can't get like this! Aston, I need you here! Bring the sedative! Now, Aston, hurry!" "Aaaahh! Aaaahh!" I heard distorted screams, a cry so raw it could freeze the blood and shatter hearts. A desperate, broken woman wailed—and then I realized
 it was me. That wretched woman who had lost everything
 was me. ***** Days have passed. I know a man rescued me from the forest beneath the cliff. I'm staying in a small pack not far from Autumn Forest. With my hands still covered in wounds, I try to splash water on my face, but I can't even bear to touch my skin. I lift my head, and as I do every time that I face a mirror, I have to summon all my courage. My face, once beautiful and envied by many she-wolves, now bears a horrific scar running across my forehead and another deep one on my left cheek. Dorian not only destroyed my child's life, my womb, but he also scarred my face. It should have healed, but I know it won't. I don't possess the rapid healing ability of werewolves. Yes, I heal—but slower, and scars remain. I step outside the small room and hear the healer and the she-wolf who treated me speaking quietly. They're discussing how I've used too many resources and how they may have to ask me to leave soon since packs rarely welcome outsiders so easily. But the she-wolf argues that I’m still in terrible condition. I appreciate her care and empathy, but it won't be necessary to cast me out. I've already decided—I’ll leave tonight on my own. ***** Hours later, I walk through the dark forest like a lost soul, the damp bandages soaked with reopened wounds, bleeding. I don't care—my legs keep moving in a single direction. Hiding in the bushes, I watch the patrol line carefully. I know exactly how to slip past without being detected—I designed this defense rotation myself for Dorian. Like so many things I did for him and the pack. I slip away into the shadows, as quickly as my battered body allows. The night and darkness are my allies. It's as if they amplify my strange abilities. I hear voices, laughter, and lights in the distance—from the backyard of what had been my home for three long years. I walk as if in slow motion, wearing old sneakers and a worn-out dress that the she-wolf from the hospital gave me. "Ladies and gentlemen, I've gathered you all here today because I could no longer hide my happiness. I’m finally marrying my beloved mate, the woman of my life, my sweet Sophia, your future Luna." I feel like I'm falling into a cavern of ice as I watch them, smiling and kissing in front of those who once called me Luna. It was my "best friend" Sophia and my traitorous Alpha Dorian, celebrating their union while my body should have been rotting beneath that cliff if their plan had worked. Traitorous hypocrite! That woman was even wearing one of my evening dresses, made up with my things, stealing my life without a trace of remorse. She had deceived me all this time, just as I had been blind to everyone in this pack, and worse, to the man who lay beside me every night while thinking of another woman. Even the midwife who told me about my pregnancy was there! Dorian must have promised her something to keep her silent. I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms, my teeth chattering with rage. I waited, waited like the deranged psychopath I had become, watching their entire celebration until the lights went out and everyone left for their homes. ***** I climbed the stairs to the second floor, walked down the dimly lit hallway, but I could hear them perfectly—making love in the master bedroom. Her feminine moans slipped through the crack of the slightly open door. I saw myself pushing it open gently. The moonlight streamed in through the large window, illuminating that figure riding Dorian, her back facing the entrance. "Alpha, tell me I'm better than her
 Mmm
 Come on, Dorian, tell me I'm better than that frigid Valeria." "You're the best, baby
 don't even compare yourself to that stiff. Do me in her bed, come on
 wasn't that what you always wanted?" Their filthy words hit my ears, and it was the final trigger I needed for everything to spiral out of control in an instant. I lunged at them on the bed. C3 THE OWNER OF THE CASTLE VALERIA I hear piercing screams, the sound of shattering glass, a savage roar, an Alpha's growls, struggling, and fighting. Something hot splashes against my face and arms. My claws shred, and my canines teared. I can't stop. I can't. Rage consumes me from the inside, demanding release. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not conscious of myself. All I know is that when I regain control of my body, the first thing I see is my red hands. I'm kneeling on the floor, everything around me drenched in red, wreckage, and pieces of what once was a powerful Alpha—Dorian. What have I done? What in the name of the Goddess have I done?! I stare at his severed head, lying just a meter away from me. Those honey-colored eyes still stare back at me in frozen terror, and I feel bile rising in my throat. I vomit to the side, unable to hold it back, disgusted by this scene of death and violence. Did I do all this? There's no one else here. I scan the area, not knowing where Sophia went. The only thing I'm sure of is that someone was thrown through the shattered glass window. I stand up on trembling legs, glance down, but all I see is the forest behind the house and bloodstains across the grass. "Don't let her escape! Sophia, stop crying and tell me clearly what happened!" Voices shouted, hurried footsteps ascending the stairs. It was my mother-in-law's voice. I had to get out of here. I had killed the Alpha, and only a painful death awaited me. Desperately, I looked down. It seemed I had thrown that wretch Sophia out the window. I decided to jump out myself, from the second floor. BAM! The door burst open during my hesitation, and my eyes locked with AnaĂ­s, my mother-in-law, the former Luna—Dorian's mother. I saw the shock, the pain, and the fury in her eyes as she took in the scene. "You miserable! You killed my son! You murdered my Dorian! Seize her! Restrain her! I'm going to tear her apart with my bare hands!" She screamed, and the warriors behind her charged at me. I jumped without thinking. "Aaagghhh!" I groaned in pain as I crashed onto the grass, rolling over, but I forced my body to shift into my wolf form and ran with all the strength I had left. I fled into the forest as fast as my weakened legs allowed, escaping death. I don't know if it was adrenaline or sheer will to live, but I ran like a madwoman through unfamiliar lands and tangled woods. Days passed that way, where I only stopped to rest when I was on the verge of collapse, drinking water from mountain streams and feeding on prey that somehow appeared dead before me. Yes, yet another strange thing about my life. The few times I dared to close my eyes, every time I woke up, a small dead animal lay in front of my muzzle. I devoured them without knowing if they were poisonous or where they came from—I just needed energy. All I could think about was surviving. One night, I felt them again. I thought they had grown tired of chasing my trail, but that wasn’t the case. The sound of multiple wolves' footsteps echoed not far away. Desperation and exhaustion consumed me—I couldn't keep running forever. I had been skirting the borders of various packs, trying not to get caught, but that wasn't a solution. "She's just ahead! I can smell her! She will pay for this!" I heard a snarl—already so close to my trail. I could practically feel the danger breathing down my neck as I pushed my legs and lungs past their limit. I was done. They were going to catch me after all this effort. Then I lifted my blue eyes and saw them—above me, a flock of crows. Cawing, circling over my wolf form, as if trying to lead me somewhere. And for some reason, I followed them. I followed their sign and ventured deeper into unfamiliar lands—into the forbidden forest where no one dared enter without an invitation. But I had nothing left to lose. If I was going to die, at least let it be quick and without torture. That's how I crossed through the mist, leading me to the Golden Moon pack, the territory guarded by the Guardians—the land ruled by the Lycan King. ***** I felt like no one was following me anymore. I had no idea how far I had gone into Golden Moon territory, but suddenly, several powerful warriors blocked my path, surrounding me. "Who are you, and why have you trespassed into our pack?" a massive gray wolf asked coldly, approaching me menacingly. The black wolf I shifted into, so small and fragile, would be considered an Omega—the lowest rank in the pack, the weakest, often reduced to servitude. That was why, when I became Luna, I had felt foolishly grateful to Dorian. "I'm only seeking refuge to rest
 I’m sorry for entering your forest. Just a few days, please
 I only need a few days to recover and leave." I pleaded, praying my pursuers wouldn't dare follow me here. "Where do you come from? Speak! Why did you cross the Forbidden Forest? No one comes here for no reason! Tell the truth, or I'll rip your head off right now!" He growled, shoving me with his shoulder. I let out a low whimper of pain, unable to resist. Before he could take further action or carry out his threats, darkness consumed my vision, and I felt my body collapse unconscious to the ground. Maybe this time, I wouldn't wake up again. ***** The next time I opened my eyes, I was in a dark, damp cell, wearing tattered clothes barely covering my battered human body. Only the Goddess knows how I'm still alive. It seems she wants me to suffer—slowly and torturously. BAM! The sound of a metal door slamming jolted me. "So, you're finally awake! Take her out!" A massive, bald, intimidating man ordered two guards, who dragged me out. It was that gray wolf. I didn’t even have the strength to walk, let alone resist. They took me to a small room where the questioning began—trying to dominate me with his Alpha presence. But it didn’t work. I had no inner wolf to submit. I spent hours there, sitting on a hard chair, my hands tied behind me with ropes cutting into my skin. No matter how much freezing water they threw at me, how much they shouted or threatened, I kept my story and waited to die. My head hung limply, eyes closed, exhausted. At least they hadn’t beaten me or done worse. I've heard horrible stories about this pack of barbarians. "Fine. Since you refuse to talk, you know what awaits you. I've given you the chance to confess." His dark eyes locked on mine, giving me his final warning, but I had nothing more to say. He drew a dagger, yanked my hair back, exposing my neck, ready to slit my throat. I saw hesitation in his eyes when my black hair fell away, revealing my hideous scars. Maybe I looked pitiful—but he had a job to do. And I was ready for it to end. The dagger lowered, and I resigned myself. But a knock on the door interrupted my death once again, sending my emotions from one extreme to the other. "Now what the hell
? M-Madam
 I mean, Housekeeper, what brings you here?" His previously harsh voice turned nearly submissive. Curious, I looked toward the door and saw a short woman with blonde hair tied up neatly, elegant yet stern. "What were you doing here?" Her cold green eyes fixed on mine, and I lowered my head. "She’s an intruder. Pack business—" "You were going to kill her, weren’t you?" she accused. "M-Madam, can we discuss this outside? It's protocol with intruders—" I heard his words stop short as a pair of black boots entered the room, standing right before me. "What's your name, girl?" "Valeria," I whispered weakly. "Look at me when I speak to you!" she ordered, and I lifted my head. She has a superior, imposing aura, and honestly, I think she's more terrifying than the massive brute. "Tell me, Valeria, do you want to live or die? You can survive if you agree to work for me. If not, pretend you never saw me," she offered, leaving me stunned. "W-what kind of work would it be?" "Work for the Guardians, in the castle kitchen or wherever you're needed—as a maid. I offer you shelter and food in exchange, a new chance to live," she said without breaking eye contact. I hesitated, feeling like I was selling my soul to another ruthless ruler. The Guardians were the Lycans, and the worst of them all was their leader, Aldric, the "Specter Slayer," whom all werewolves considered their king, though he didn’t seem to care about the title. "I don't have all day. Are you coming or not?" she pressed. "Housekeeper, this woman is a stranger
 how can she enter the castle with the Guardians? We don't know her intentions—" "I don't care why you entered these cursed lands. Your past stays behind if you accept my offer. But if you betray me or plot anything behind my back, slitting your throat will be the least of my punishments," the woman threatened, leaving me with only a second to decide. Live or die. Start anew in a strange place, possibly filled with more humiliation and suffering—or die now and end my miserable existence. "I'll go with you. I accept the job," I finally chose to survive. ***** The Golden Moon pack was located in a valley, surrounded by dense forest with thick fog, and perched atop a hill in the distance was an imposing ancient stone castle. We traveled there in a carriage, rolling along cobblestone streets. This pack was massive, far more powerful than my former one. I remained silent the entire way, my black hair always hiding the scars on my face, my head bowed, not wanting to draw attention. The enormous ebony doors opened, carved stone walls rising tall and powerful, with strange statues perched on the dark eaves. At last, we arrived at an inner courtyard, and I stepped down from the carriage with some discomfort. I stared at the looming castle, half-shrouded in mist, more nightmarish than inviting. "Come. I'll give you your uniform and show you your room," she ordered, and I followed her inside. The moment we crossed the entrance, we were greeted by a massive hall. A chandelier filled with candles hung in the center, illuminating the spiraling staircases that seemed to stretch endlessly upward. I was distracted for a moment, staring at the glossy black-and-white marble floor, when something seemed to fall from the ceiling. BAM! I stumbled back, startled, barely containing a scream of pure panic as a woman's corpse crashed at my feet. She was headless, and blood still gushed from her severed neck, staining the entire floor—and even my legs. The head rolled down next; lifeless eyes frozen in a horrified expression. I looked up, trembling, and at the top of the stairs, a pair of gray, lupine, savage eyes stared back at me for a few seconds, chilling my blood to the core. C4 TAKING OUT THEIR LOVERS VALERIA His entire demeanor screamed, I'm the damn master of everything here, the absolute ruler. I immediately lowered my head, trembling. It didn’t matter that I lacked an inner she-wolf— the power radiating from that man felt like it could suffocate you, crush your soul, and he wasn't even standing that close to me. He was a Lycan, the superior species of werewolves, the ultimate evolution, and I was almost certain this was the most powerful of them all—Aldric Thorne, the Lycan King. "Sasha, take out the trash and make sure my next personal maid isn’t a scheming one, or she'll lose more than her head," his deep, cold, and intimidating voice echoed, followed by the sound of footsteps retreating. "This is a disaster. That's the fifth one in two months. I don’t know what goes through these girls' heads. I warned them," the housekeeper muttered as she approached, pulling a small vial from the dead woman’s hand. "Another one who tried to please the King thinking she could be different and rise. Brainless. I'll call a servant to take her away. And your first task begins now—clean up this mess." And so, my work in the Lycan King's castle began. The first lesson I learned: never, ever try to mess with that dangerous man, or you'll end up headless. Unfortunately, I soon found myself on the razor's edge again. ***** Sasha introduced me to the staff, a group of she-wolves and wolves working in the castle, attending to the Guardians. They all stared at me as if they were looking at a monster. I didn’t care—I just wanted to keep existing and stay invisible. "The Guardians"—that’s what they called the five Lycans who lived in this ancient, dark castle. They enforced the laws of our world, or at least those affecting werewolves, maintaining balance with other supernatural creatures. They delivered justice, protection, and punishment—often in the most brutal, merciless ways. Especially the Lycan King. At least, that's what I had always heard. I was forbidden from climbing the stairs or wandering beyond the service quarters. And honestly, I didn’t plan to try. I focused on working and healing with the medicine the housekeeper gave me. The food here was good too. Except for the first day, I had gone three days without seeing any of the other Guardians. Until this morning. ***** "Hey, I heard the housekeeper saying she still hasn’t found a suitable candidate for the King's maid. Maybe she'll give us a chance." I was scrubbing the floor on my knees, listening to the whispers echoing through the castle's massive kitchen. My head stayed down, and my long black bangs nearly covered my eyes, helping to conceal the disfigurement on my face. My hands kept moving the cloth over the tiles, but ignoring the gossip was impossible. Suddenly, the room went silent. Heels echoed from the hallway, and tension filled the air— it was the housekeeper. "Stop what you're doing. I want all of you in a line," she ordered, her voice sharp. The cooks, maids, and even me—the lowly cleaner—all lined up like prisoners, standing side by side. She began her inspection, passing each trembling figure, heads bowed low. When her shadow passed in front of me, I thought she would move on. She didn’t. "What was your name again?" she asked. "Valeria, ma'am," I replied softly. Her cold finger pressed beneath my chin, forcing me to raise my head. My blue eyes met her intimidating green gaze. "Good. I think I'll try a different strategy this time. Come with me," she ordered, and a sense of dread twisted in my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the stares from the other women in the line. Bitter glares filled with jealousy, anger, envy. Nothing good. That much was certain. "Listen carefully, Valeria. You're going to be King Aldric's personal maid," she dropped the bombshell casually, as if it were nothing, walking toward the other side of the kitchen. "Do you know how to cook, iron, organize a man’s things, his clothes, and so on?" "Y-yes, ma'am. But
 I don’t think I'm the right choice for the position. Perhaps someone more—" "It's not optional," she cut me off, turning abruptly. "You either accept it, or you leave. I don't need a floor cleaner right now. I need a maid for the King. Understood?" I had no choice but to nod. Sometimes, I forgot that this harsh woman had saved my life. Though, honestly, I still didn’t know why—especially now that she was sending me straight into the Lycan's den. "Memorize everything I'm about to say. The King wakes up at
 He doesn’t like
 Prefers it this way
 And his meals are only prepared by the cook from this section. Make sure it’s always her
 And you must taste it before serving him." She paced through the kitchen, the laundry area, practically the entire service zone, listing the King's preferences and dislikes. I followed, my brain nearly short-circuiting from the overwhelming information. I need to write all this down later! "Alright. You'll deliver his first breakfast now. Do exactly as I tell you,” she said, placing a silver tray full of covered dishes in my hands. "And Valeria
 remember, head down. Stay invisible. You're nothing but a piece of furniture." "And I trust you haven't forgotten the scene from your first day here. If you try anything against the King, believe me, he was merciful with that woman." Her warning made me swallow hard as I nodded. I didn’t consider myself a coward, but it felt like I was marching straight to the gallows as I climbed the forbidden stairs, moving through the dim candlelit corridors leading to the Guardian leader's quarters. I reached the only door in this wing—an enormous wooden door with intricate carvings—and tried to recall every instruction. "Don't knock at this hour. Go straight inside." So, I did. Balancing the tray carefully, I twisted the heavy doorknob. Step by step, I entered the den of the big bad wolf, avoiding unnecessary glances around. I immediately noticed the large wooden table at the center, the dim lighting, and I focused on setting the breakfast properly. But then I heard it—and smelled it. The scent of lust. Through my bangs, I glanced toward a black door, slightly ajar. Muffled female moans seeped through, despite being closed. More than one woman’s voice. The rhythmic sound of something hitting a wall echoed. Maybe the bed—I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. The most important rule: head down, stay invisible. Don't speak. Don't look. Don't listen. I was so focused on remembering every detail of his preferences, circling the table, that I didn’t even notice when the sounds stopped. "Who are you?" a dominant voice behind me made me flinch. My trembling fists tightened, and I turned, staring down at the gray rug. "Your Majesty, my name is Valeria. I am your new maid," I managed without stuttering. A massive shadow loomed over me, every instinct screaming danger, run—but I stood firm as he placed a finger beneath my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. I expected disgust at my scarred face. Instead, I saw fierce, intimidating gray eyes studying me—so captivating they resembled lethal steel. "Where's your inner wolf?" he asked, frowning. How had he noticed with just one glance? "I
 I’m not entirely sure, sir. I suffered a traumatic experience before I turned eighteen, and her spirit never appeared. But
 I can shift into my wolf form. Others say it's a curse." I added quickly, half-expecting to be dismissed on my first day. Scarred, cursed—what a perfect maid. "Is that why your face hasn't healed?" he asked, his voice calm but piercing. "I suppose so, sir. My healing is
 slower than others." He said nothing, but his intense scrutiny made my skin crawl. Did I say the wrong thing? I avoided lingering on his rugged features, but it was becoming clear why so many women risked losing their heads just for a night in his bed. Aldric Thorne was a man built for sin. A towering figure, nearly two meters tall, with a powerful, scarred body, bold and commanding. Muscular, rough, impossibly attractive. And despite his icy aura, his long shoulder-length hair was deep crimson, just like his short beard—like fire, like blood he could spill without flinching. "I don't care about your peculiarities, but I do expect you to have understood the rules clearly because I won't tolerate disobedience or tricks," he warned me, his voice dangerously low and guttural. I nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes, your maje—" "And call me Sir. I don't like that Your Majesty nonsense," he clarified, finally releasing me and walking toward the other side of the room. I exhaled, realizing I had been holding my breath the entire time. Yet, I could still catch that scent lingering from his skin, something like aged wine—rich, and intoxicating. Could it be some cologne? I couldn't detect the pheromones of werewolves like others could. "They'll be here soon to collect those women. Make sure they leave and clean up everything," he ordered without even sparing me a glance, then disappeared through a door leading to what seemed like another room. I remained standing there in the dim light, frozen for a moment. Then, clenching my fists, I gathered my resolve and moved to deal with his lovers still in bed. I opened the door and stared in shock at the chaotic scene inside. The room was dimly lit, clothes strewn across the floor, and in the center, three women lay sprawled. The heavy scent filled the air, making it hard to breathe. "Umm
 ladies, it's time to leave," I said softly, but none of them reacted, their eyes shut as if completely oblivious. They looked exhausted, their bodies marked with bites, bruises, and a mess of fluids staining their thighs. "The King ordered you to leave. You need to—" "Shut up, you annoying brat!" snarled the blonde lying in the middle of the two brunettes, even throwing a pillow at me, which I narrowly dodged. Well, they still have some energy left, it seems. Okay, this wasn’t going as smoothly as I had imagined, and they were already settling back down as if planning to sleep there. Aren't they uncomfortable covered in all that
 stuff? But I couldn't fail my first task. I knew he had done this on purpose—to test me. I headed to the bathroom, filled a basin with cold water, and placed it near the bed. Rolling up my sleeves, exposing my pale arms, I then walked over to the massive crimson curtains, grabbed the heavy fabric, and yanked them open with force. "Aaaahh! Close it, right now! Close the curtain!" they screeched like the possessed, even though the sky was overcast. The sun never really shone brightly here—this land was always cloaked in thick fog. Grabbing the basin, I lifted it and—splash! —drenched them in icy water to snap them out of it. "Have you lost your damn mind, maid?!" C5 THE KING'S MAID VALERIA "Aahh, it’s horrible, she’s deformed!" "You’re just jealous, that’s why you want to keep us away from the King!" "The Lord has said you must leave now," I repeated impassively, while they hurled insults at me. But I felt nothing—not cold, not heat. I thought about how to get them out since, weakened or not, there were three of them and only one of me. Just then, loud knocks echoed from the side door leading to the hallway, a door I hadn’t even noticed before. It had to be the person sent to remove them from the castle. I walked over and opened it, revealing two sturdy servants who entered without a word. The women began to resist, screaming that their bodies were only for the King, threatening that our heads would roll. I didn’t need to be here long to see through their lies. That man had used them like disposable objects and was now discarding them like trash. The blonde rushed toward the door leading to the dining hall, but I stepped in front of her, standing firm and blocking her way. "Have some dignity and leave already. The King has ordered it. Don’t risk dying." "I want him to tell me himself! Last night, he showed me otherwise! Get out of my way!" she lunged at me, baring her fangs. I defended myself, grabbing her arms mid-air as we struggled. Her long claws scratched me in her fury, and I knew I could control her because, right now, she was weak. This she-wolf was stronger than me—honestly, anyone was stronger than me. With the help of the servants, we managed to drag the last crazed woman out of the room. I shut the door, breathing heavily. "Quite the first day on the job," I muttered in resignation, staring at the disaster I now had to clean. ***** I wiped the sweat from my forehead, taking a moment to catch my breath, surveying the nearly tidy room. The worst part was the bed. Even after removing the dirty sheets, I had gone overboard with the water. So, I thought of pushing the mattress closer to the window to let it air out and catch some sun. "Mmnn," I grunted, yanking at the heavy king-size mattress, my hands trembling. I doubted I could move it. I kept struggling when— "How many centuries does it take you to organize a room?" His voice startled me—I hadn’t heard him enter. I turned to apologize, but a wrong step, my nerves, and apparently a sticky substance I’d left on the floor caused me to lose my balance and fall forward. By instinct, I grabbed onto the first thing I could, falling to my knees with my eyes shut tight. Something had slipped from my hands, and now another thing, thick, brushed against my nose. A dark, musky, intoxicating scent assaulted my senses. When I opened my eyes again and saw the sight before me, I wished I could die right there without needing him to kill me. In my hands was a black towel—I assumed it had been around the King's hips—and I was on my knees, clutching his powerful thighs, with a massive, veiny member right in front of my wide eyes. «Girl, this could make you cry» was the first thing that crossed my mind in my nervous breakdown. And to think it was only half... not even Dorian’s compared in detail. "Should I fetch a tape measure so you can size it up too?" His cold voice snapped me out of my frozen state. Terrified, I raised my gaze to see him completely naked, in all his glory, his burgundy hair loose and tousled, damp from the shower, and I could swear his gray eyes held a mocking glint. "Your Majesty, I’m so sorry! Please, spare the life of this humble servant who doesn’t deserve your mercy!" I threw myself to the ground, pressing my forehead against the hard surface, begging him. What I had done was unforgivable. By the Goddess, I had even stayed there... staring at it. His threatening shadow loomed over my trembling body. I clenched my eyes shut, bracing for the end. "I’ll leave right away... I beg you... I’ll leave the castle... please..." "I don’t have the patience to find a new servant every day. You leave when I decide so. Now get up." His deep voice rumbled close to my ear, and I felt him tugging at the towel I still clutched in my hands. I released it immediately, sweat trailing down my back as my entire body trembled. "Besides, if you’re going to serve me, it won’t be the last time you see it. It’s not a big deal. Come to the dining room," he added before his bare footsteps echoed away from the room. Swallowing nervously, I stood on shaky legs. «Come on, Valeria, focus, please. » "Try the breakfast," he ordered, gesturing to the food set on the table. He sat, dominating the large chair, observing my every move. I picked up the fork and cut a small piece from each dish, tasting everything bite by bite. "If something is not to your liking, I can ask the kitchen to—" "That won’t be necessary. Everything’s fine," he interrupted and then fell silent. I kept my gaze on the floor, unsure of what he was waiting for, frantically reviewing every rule in my mind. "Do you think I’m a savage who eats with his hands?" "What? No, no, Your Maj... Sir..." I quickly lifted my gaze and saw him glancing at the fork still in my hand. Holy Goddess, I had covered the only utensil with saliva! The housekeeper hadn’t mentioned I had to taste the food here too! "I... I’ll get another, I’m so sorry—" "You seem to apologize well," he said as he took the fork from my hand. "It’s dirty, I... I ate with it—" I didn’t finish because he wiped it with a napkin and began eating calmly. I stepped back, standing in the corner, awaiting his orders. Through my bangs, I occasionally stole glances at him. He looked relaxed wearing just the towel, eating and reviewing some documents beside him. No matter what the Lycan King did, his aggressive aura filled the entire space, demanding only obedience and submission. This was my new master. And honestly, I was starting to wonder if I’d be better off running far away from this castle... and this pack. Aldric Thorne was the most dangerous thing I could have crossed paths with. ***** Days passed, and despite my rookie mistakes, I managed to survive. The Lord wasn’t constantly present at the castle either—he often traveled between packs or faced dangerous situations. I hadn’t even seen the other “Guardians” until one morning. "Phew, I honestly don’t know how you handle the pressure and temptation," said Juliette. She was the only staff member who had approached me. An extroverted, cheerful girl. I didn’t consider her a friend, though—I'd never trust a woman like that again. But at least her chatter kept me entertained. We were walking through the underground corridor carrying laundry baskets when a side door leading to one of the many training gyms opened. A massive Lycan emerged. I knew by the powerful aura he projected. We immediately lowered our heads, waiting for him to pass, but his steps approached us instead. "Are these clean towels?" asked a strong but calm male voice. "Yes, yes, Sir," I answered, realizing I was the one carrying them. I glanced up for a second. Enchanting golden eyes stared back at me. I quickly lowered my gaze to the carpet and handed him a towel, but as he reached out, our fingers brushed for a moment. His touch was warm. Despite being intimidating, this Lycan projected a protective aura—not as sharp and wild as the King's. "I’m sorry... I’m so sorry—" "Relax, it’s fine. Thank you," he replied, taking the towel and walking away down the hallway. And then I dared to look at his back. Blond hair, massive like all Lycans, powerful, his muscular, sweaty back glistening, dressed in black combat gear. It seemed like he had been training. For some reason, the combination of his eyes and hair reminded me a bit of Dorian. I didn’t want to remember him at all, but the mind could be a traitor. He had been the first—and only—man I’d loved. "Right? He’s so handsome! I mean, they’re all attractive and hot, but for me, the best ones are the King and Guardian Quinn... Though the King, ugh, that man is pure fire. I’m torn—what do you think, Valeria? Would you prefer the King or Quinn?" Before I could scold her for talking so carelessly, her face turned pale, staring behind me in panic. A powerful presence pressed against my back, hot breath brushing against my ear. "I’d like to know too, Valeria. Who would you prefer? And why did you let another man touch what’s mine?" The basket in my hands begins to tremble along with my hands. I'm done for. And even though I know he’s talking about the towels, for some reason, it feels like he’s talking about me. "Ss
 Sir..." "Get out!" he ordered Juliette, who looked at me for a second with guilt but had no choice but to flee almost running. I remained with my back to him. Could I run too? "I'm still waiting, Valeria. Tell me, are you unhappy with the position you were given? Would you prefer to be Quinn's personal maid instead? Turn around!" LEARN_MORE https://befant.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=18151&u Galaxy in the Story https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/ 2,500 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 befant.com VIDEO https://befant.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=18151&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/t39.35426-6/476000553_1162683952184831_634898032770449186_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=-WlGfcIEl5AQ7kNvgH0KDGI&_nc_oc=AdjC0Wk3alA5TEgY5UOof-FUH6W5RBf8vFLuIJmKH9uFMqsA6mrPD_cmCVMGFE7BvYpzghuRxX9p-sfcK_kck52n&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A-vuDDKvfrUR1G3X0q-EqXy&oh=00_AYCmQdNItZpMLyHWwlfl_uOhSUQRQzKW4Pia3cEVnw7qSA&oe=67CC37B0 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Galaxy in the Story 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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Yes 2025-03-03 18:50 active 2790 0 â€ïžđŸ˜O que acontece a seguir👉Clique aqui para continuar lendo👉 A Kelly, minha prima, roupou meu namorado ClĂĄudio, quem eu namorava hĂĄ 4 anos. Ele foi meu primeiro namorado, e os encontrei na minha cama! E agora, eles vĂŁo se casar... - VocĂȘ vai ao casamento da sua prima, Catarina. Isso Ă© uma ordem! NĂłs somos os seus pais e vocĂȘ vai obedecer. – Minha mĂŁe falava brava comigo, como se eu fosse a errada nessa situação. - Ah, mĂŁe! Me poupe e se poupe! A cidade inteira sabe que a Kelly Ă© uma vadia... – Perdi a paciĂȘncia. - CHEGA, CATARINA! – Meu pai gritou e me assustou. – VocĂȘ vai a esse casamento e ponto final. - Mas, pai... - NĂŁo quero saber, Catarina! É importante pra sua mĂŁe manter a paz na famĂ­lia. EntĂŁo vocĂȘ vai e pronto. – Meu pai falou nĂŁo dando margem para questionamentos. Fui para o meu quarto e passei a noite chorando. No dia seguinte contei tudo para a Melissa, que nĂŁo perdeu tempo, arrumou os convites para um baile de mĂĄscaras...... No baile, um homem com uma mĂĄscara preta sorrindo pra mim. Ele beijou minha mĂŁo e me puxou para perto dizendo no meu ouvido com uma voz rouca: - A mulher mais linda do salĂŁo nĂŁo vai me negar uma dança, vai? - Acho que preciso de um pouco de ar. - Vem comigo. - Ele me puxou para um corredor sem iluminação que dava para uma saĂ­da de emergĂȘncia 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 lĂĄbios se encontraram, começou lento, mas foi se aprofundando, ele me encostou na parede e o beijo se intensificou ainda mais, quase nos roubando o fĂŽlego, quando ele interrompeu o beijo para respirarmos, nos olhamos nos olhos, foi como jogar gasolina no fogo, ele passou a mĂŁo pela minha cintura, desceu atĂ© minha coxa e puxou minha perna para sua cintura. Eu jĂĄ estava completamente entregue nesse momento, sentindo seu corpo contra o meu, eu fiquei louca de tesĂŁo e o puxei para mais perto envolvendo sua cintura com minha perna. - VocĂȘ beija bem! – Sorri pra ele e senti meu corpo todo se arrepiar. – Ah, linda, vocĂȘ Ă© incrĂ­vel, eu quero muito vocĂȘ, aqui, agora! – ele disse entre beijos e enfiou a mĂŁo sob o meu vestido o puxando pra cima e chegando a minha calcinha. Eu estava em chamas quando ele enfiou a mĂŁo dentro da minha calcinha e gemeu. – Ah! Que delĂ­cia! TĂŁo quente, tĂŁo molhadinha! – Disse e me beijou com mais força, enquanto abria o zĂ­per da sua calça. Com um movimento rĂĄpido, de quem jĂĄ tinha feito aquilo antes, ele rasgou minha calcinha e acariciou minha entrada, como se pedisse permissĂŁo. Olhou nos meus olhos de novo e me perguntou: - O que vocĂȘ quer que eu faça? - Eu quero que vocĂȘ esteja dentro de mim agora! – Respondi sem nenhum pudor, eu jĂĄ estava arfando de tanto tesĂŁo. Eu nĂŁo resisti aqueles olhos e aquela voz rouca. Eu nunca fui assim, normalmente eu teria me desvencilhado dele no momento em que me puxou pela mĂŁo, mas aquela noite eu havia prometido a mim mesma que iria me divertir e se aparecesse alguĂ©m 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 centĂ­metro 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, sĂł pra entrar de novo com toda força dessa vez, e foi uma delĂ­cia, 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 nĂŁo tivesse nada ao nosso redor, eu senti uma nĂ©voa 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 paraĂ­so na terra. Eu gozei gemendo na boca dele e foi um climax incrĂ­vel, 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 fĂŽlego, 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 fĂŽlego, 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: - VocĂȘ Ă© realmente incrĂ­vel! Gentilmente ele baixou minhas pernas atĂ© meus pĂ©s tocarem o chĂŁo, colocou o meu vestido em ordem, arrumou sua calça e me abraçou. Isso foi tĂŁo Ă­ntimo, tĂŁo afetuoso, apesar da loucura daquele encontro e da ferocidade com que nos entregamos, ele ainda era cuidadoso comigo. Eu nunca tinha tido uma relação tĂŁo maravilhosa, mas eu sĂł tinha transado com meu ex atĂ© entĂŁo. 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 atĂ© ele estar satisfeito, entĂŁo, o fato de um homem se preocupar comigo, com meu prazer, cuidar de mim, foi novidade, e uma novidade incrĂ­vel. Ele me deu um beijo no pescoço e perguntou no meu ouvido: - EntĂŁo, linda, eu ainda nĂŁo sei o seu nome. Quando eu ia abrir a boca pra falar, ele puxou o celular do bolso e me pediu um minuto para atender. - O que vocĂȘ disse? – Nesse momento aquele estranho saiu correndo como se tivesse se esquecido de mim, ou como se sĂł estivesse fugindo da rapariga que comeu rapidinho na festa. Voltei pra mesa. - VocĂȘs usaram camisinha, nĂ©? Meu coração disparou! A gente nĂŁo usou preservativo. Ela jĂĄ foi logo me acalmando: - NĂŁo, Cat, calma. Com certeza nĂŁo vai dar nada. Mas vocĂȘ deve fazer uns exames para garantir que estĂĄ tudo bem. NĂŁo surta! Na data marcada Mel foi comigo ao mĂ©dico. Com a lista de exames nas mĂŁos ela mesma marcou o laboratĂłrio e fez questĂŁo de me acompanhar. Os resultados saĂ­ram cinco dias depois e eu voltei ao mĂ©dico. Claro que a Mel estava comigo. O mĂ©dico verificou os resultados e me olhou nos olhos: - Srta. Catarina, sua saĂșde estĂĄ Ăłtima. VocĂȘ estĂĄ saudĂĄvel. Mas, daqui pra frente terĂĄ que se cuidar melhor. Eu respirei aliviada Ele continuou falando: - ParabĂ©ns, vocĂȘ estĂĄ grĂĄvida! Eu nĂŁo ouvi mais nada, sĂł o sangue pulsando em meus ouvidos... LEARN_MORE https://alplk.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=17914&ut Casa dos livros https://www.facebook.com/61558148557550/ 25,332 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 alplk.com VIDEO đŸ”„Mais grandes romances aquiđŸ”„ 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-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481097759_1332876524521600_3911973807904150419_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=B1zQJ6xNFo4Q7kNvgGS7zkc&_nc_oc=Adi83qXwXRvLD5tLvNmCdlzMpjBwNLpM5CNIh_ACziAh2VLgBfuOp-sBJyCLBAgeler7noEr0nxJSac1X1JnV1Bq&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ATQ7gquP44wwVjEcFMurHsy&oh=00_AYCzODN8S9jdk9BZTWnY2Ad4Wz7OePBvtPqrZ04C3OeiLg&oe=67CC2593 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Casa dos livros 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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Yes 2025-03-03 18:28 active 2789 0 Limit 1 Per Household 🎁 Who said good things can't come for free? ⭐ Snappy Sample is giving away 100% FREE Samples! ⭐ Claim yours now! — LEARN_MORE https://go.snappysample.com/?zRid=SN&utm_content=a Exclusive Sample Zone https://www.facebook.com/61569817117804/ 83 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 0 0 0 0 0 0 Learn more 0 try.snappysample.com IMAGE Grab the best freebies here! https://go.snappysample.com/?zRid=SN&utm_content=adidasmensblack&utm_campaign={{campaign.id}}&utm_term={{ad.id}}&utm_source=DM_snappy&utm_medium= 1969-12-31 18:00 https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/481255139_9904695009575734_3190439013980687516_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=t5XktkxlntAQ7kNvgGHFfRm&_nc_oc=AdjXIjPT1TSxSSYKLpxCsLGJrj4xMj3DMnBFtrXdY8CIKWLFZDydWhzw1Tx1SFnSgnHmc-oLU1svvnmZI2Op9EEq&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A7vvySaE7-ijgX5aI1GE5hk&oh=00_AYB0IqoKcdhkojC-tKbEk0IcSplD1J-Q43Xv7Uj-v4UaBA&oe=67CC1CF7 PERSON_PROFILE 0 0 0 Exclusive Sample Zone 0 0 1969-12-31 18:00 View Edit
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