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1,582,197	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1582191}'	No	2024-04-28 18:56	active	634	473466345029310	Leer el siguiente capítulo👉	Después del divorcio, regresó como una diseñadora superior, piloto de carreras de élite, curandera famosa y hacker genial, impresionando a todos y haciendo que su exmarido se arrepintiera amargamente.<br /> ======<br /> <br /> Capítulo1 Divorcio<br /> "Imagínate si Norah nos sorprendiera aquí, en su cama. ¿Crees que se enojaría tanto que lloraría?", preguntó la mujer con un tono coqueto.<br /> <br /> "Esta no es su cama. Después de todos estos años, ni siquiera la he tocado. Siempre duerme en la habitación de invitados de al lado", resopló el hombre.<br /> <br /> "Derek, eres tan bueno conmigo...".<br /> <br /> Sus suaves murmullos se mezclaron con sus respiraciones agitadas.<br /> <br /> En la habitación tenuemente iluminada, un hombre y una mujer compartían momentos afectuosos en una espaciosa cama.<br /> <br /> Encima de ellos, adornando la prístina pared, había una foto de una novia con una expresión alegre.<br /> <br /> En la puerta, una joven se tapó la boca con las manos mientras las lágrimas corrían por su rostro.<br /> <br /> Después de un rato, su momento íntimo terminó.<br /> <br /> Derek Carter se puso sus pantalones cortos para ir a servirse un vaso de agua. Un destello de sorpresa se apoderó de su rostro cuando encontró a Norah Wilson sentada en la sala de estar.<br /> <br /> Se preguntaba cuándo había regresado y qué habría escuchado.<br /> <br /> "¿Lo oíste todo?", preguntó casualmente después de recostarse en el sofá con un vaso de agua.<br /> <br /> Había chupetones en su delgada figura, pero no le importaba si Norah los veía o cómo se sentiría. Simplemente bebió un sorbo de agua.<br /> <br /> "Firma esto". Derek sacó una carpeta de un cajón y la arrojó sobre la mesa. "Como es posible que lo hayas oído todo, no tiene sentido que prolonguemos este asunto".<br /> <br /> Norah agarró tímidamente el documento y leyó las palabras "Acuerdo de divorcio" en la página inicial. Cuando fue hasta el final, vio la firma con estilo de Derek Carter.<br /> <br /> "Puedes revisarlo. Si quieres agregar un término, avísame. De lo contrario, fírmalo", ordenó Derek.<br /> <br /> Luego, se reclinó y encendió un cigarrillo. El humo nubló su indiferente expresión.<br /> <br /> "¿No puedes darnos otra oportunidad?". Norah tenía la cabeza gacha y la voz áspera por las lágrimas. Su elegante flequillo caía sobre los bordes oscuros de sus gafas, resaltando su triste mirada.<br /> <br /> Desde que formó parte de la familia Carter, se había dedicado a Derek para tener un futuro lleno de felicidad.<br /> <br /> Sus manos se apretaron cuando recordó al chico que la había protegido de una tormenta de nieve, deseando tener incluso la más mínima esperanza de permanecer a su lado.<br /> <br /> "No seas tan patética, Norah. Tú sabes lo que pasa entre Madeline y yo. ¿Por qué te aferras a seguir siendo mi esposa? Ten un poco de dignidad". Derek dejó caer la ceniza en la bandeja impacientemente. "Nuestro matrimonio nunca fue más que un acuerdo por conveniencia".<br /> <br /> Norah sintió que su corazón daba un vuelco. Era Madeline Powell a quien Derek realmente amaba. Finalmente lo entendía.<br /> <br /> Norah se encorvó y jugueteó con el dobladillo de su ropa. Ahora se dio cuenta de que, cuando Madeline aparecía, la atención de Derek cambiaba por completo hacia ella.<br /> <br /> Hacía años, Madeline se fue al extranjero y Derek la persiguió, pero terminó en un trágico accidente automovilístico que lo dejó inconsciente.<br /> <br /> Se suponía que se casaría con Luna Wilson. Pero ella se involucró con otro hombre y tuvo un hijo, así que los Wilson ofrecieron a Norah como novia sustituta. Norah ocupó el lugar de Luna y se convirtió en la esposa de Derek.<br /> <br /> Durante su matrimonio, se dedicó a cuidarlo y cortó casi todos los lazos con su vida anterior por él. Incluso abandonó sus pasiones, como el diseño, las carreras de autos, la cirugía médica y la codificación, para concentrarse únicamente en su esposo.<br /> <br /> Cuando Derek despertó de su coma un año atrás, Norah siguió cuidándolo incansablemente y permaneció a su lado sin falta. Pero él pareció cegado por su ternura cuando Madeline regresó del extranjero.<br /> <br /> A pesar de dos años de matrimonio y cuidados, Norah tenía que admitir que no había logrado conquistar el corazón de Derek.<br /> <br /> Al no recibir respuesta, Derek no pudo evitar fruncir el ceño y estudiar a la mujer sentada frente a él.<br /> <br /> Norah era innegablemente atractiva, incluso con su espeso flequillo y sus grandes gafas, pero a menudo descuidaba su apariencia y se veía desaliñada. Además, tenía una personalidad demasiado reservada.<br /> <br /> Cuando Derek despertó del coma, Norah estuvo a su lado las veinticuatro horas del día, pero aun así él no sentía ninguna conexión emocional con ella, solo la encontraba increíblemente aburrida.<br /> <br /> Sus constantes cuidados y atenciones, así como su aspecto mundano y su rutina, eran tan monótonos como el agua. A Derek todo le parecía bastante aburrido.<br /> <br /> Reconocía el papel de Norah como cuidadora experimentada de la familia Carter durante esos dos años, pero nunca sintió que fuera adecuada para ser su compañera.<br /> <br /> Mientras apagaba otro cigarrillo, agregó casualmente:<br /> <br /> "Esta es la residencia de los Carter...".<br /> <br /> Al interrumpirse, notó que Norah seguía con la cabeza gacha. La tristeza en su postura lo irritó.<br /> <br /> "Soy consciente de tu miseria con los Wilson, así que te daré tres villas y treinta millones después del divorcio. Puedes elegir cualquier auto del garaje. Eso debería garantizarte una vida cómoda", ofreció Derek.<br /> <br /> No olvidaba el diligente cuidado de Norah mientras estaba postrado en cama y su compañía durante sus posteriores ejercicios de recuperación.<br /> <br /> Aunque no sentía ningún afecto por ella, estaba dispuesto a ofrecerle un acuerdo generoso por sus años de dedicación. Le había dedicado los dos mejores años de su vida.<br /> <br /> Derek se cruzó de brazos, y entonces Norah vio un pequeño tatuaje en su clavícula, empeorando su angustia. Era las iniciales MP. Madeline Powell.<br /> <br /> Derek ya no tenía paciencia.<br /> <br /> "Dadas las circunstancias, te daré un día para que lo pienses. Si no estás de acuerdo con los términos, puedes sugerir ajustes, pero no vayas demasiado lejos. No soy conocido por ser paciente...".<br /> <br /> "No es necesario que lo piense". Norah agarró el bolígrafo de la mesa y escribió su nombre en los papeles de divorcio. "Empacaré mis cosas y me iré. Ya no me interpondré en tu camino".<br /> <br /> Derek le dio un asentimiento.<br /> <br /> "Me alegra escuchar eso".<br /> <br /> Derek apreciaba que Norah siempre cediera, como una sirviente que nunca cuestionaba sus decisiones. Un ejemplo era ese mismo día, pues podría haber causado un escándalo, pero mantuvo la paz.<br /> <br /> En su opinión, su comportamiento era demasiado aburrido. Tenía miedo de que estar cerca de alguien tan corriente pudiera contagiarlo eventualmente. El amor, después de todo, no era algo que pudiera forzarse.<br /> <br /> Justo cuando estaba a punto de decir algo sobre el contrato, Madeline salió elegantemente, vestida con una camisa blanca.<br /> <br /> Apenas le cubría sus muslos y solo había un par de botones abrochados, exponiendo mucha piel.<br /> <br /> Su cabello estaba húmedo, por lo que la camisa se pegaba ligeramente a su piel, haciendo de su apariencia mucho más atractiva.<br /> <br /> Al escuchar unos pasos, Norah se dio la vuelta y vio a Madeline usando lo que inmediatamente reconoció como la camisa de Derek, una que ella había elegido para él.<br /> <br /> Sus miradas se encontraron. Madeline le dedicó una sonrisa engreída y burlona.<br /> <br /> Pero cuando Derek siguió su mirada, ella se apresuró a ocultar su sonrisa.<br /> <br /> "Norah, por fin nos conocemos. Soy Madeline Powell". Madeline se acercó a Derek y se sentó a su lado. "Derek te menciona a menudo", dijo apoyándose sobre su hombro. "Es un placer conocerte".<br /> <br /> Norah bajó la mirada y no respondió.<br /> <br /> Madeline le dio un codazo a Derek en broma.<br /> <br /> "Escuché que le darás tres villas a Norah. ¿No sabías que yo quería la villa cerca del lago? ¿Por qué se la prometiste? ¿Ya no me amas?".<br /> <br /> Siendo indulgente con los deseos de Madeline, Derek se volvió hacia Norah.<br /> <br /> "Te daré otra villa".<br /> <br /> Norah lo miró a través de sus gafas.<br /> <br /> "¿Pero no dijiste que esa era para mí?".<br /> <br /> Madeline hizo un puchero.<br /> <br /> "Derek...".<br /> <br /> El rostro del hombre mostró un destello de molestia.<br /> <br /> "Norah, ¿no entiendes lo que acabo de decir? Tómalo como un favor. Si no quieres realizar cambios, por favor, abstente de hacer solicitudes".<br /> <br /> Capítulo2 Dale una lección<br /> "Norah, deseo con todo mi corazón esa villa junto al lago. Elige otra para ti. Siempre he soñado que ese sería mi nuevo hogar con Derek", confesó Madeline mientras se acurrucaba más en sus brazos. "Ha sido mi deseo desde hace mucho".<br /> <br /> Derek sintió nostalgia ante sus palabras.<br /> <br /> Norah lanzó una suave risa.<br /> <br /> "¿Qué te ríes?", preguntó él.<br /> <br /> Madeline se acurrucó junto a Derek. El escote abierto de su camisa revelaba mucho de su suave piel. Mientras giraba distraídamente un mechón de su cabello, quiso llamar la atención del hombre, quien apoyó una mano sobre su hombro.<br /> <br /> "Me estoy riendo de lo tonta que fui", contestó Norah gélidamente.<br /> <br /> Sin dudarlo, agarró el vaso de agua de Derek de la mesa y los empapó a los dos. La repentina cascada los dejó perplejos.<br /> <br /> "Norah, ¿has perdido la cabeza?", espetó Derek.<br /> <br /> Norah se puso de pie.<br /> <br /> "Señor Carter, pensé que eras un hombre de palabra. Ya que me hiciste una promesa, cúmplela. De lo contrario, admite que eres un pésimo hombre que rompe su palabra".<br /> <br /> Madeline estaba acostumbrada a la indulgencia de Derek, por lo que tenía un temperamento feroz. Simplemente fingía vulnerabilidad y sumisión para ganarse el afecto de los hombres.<br /> <br /> Pero ahora estaba tan molesta que se levantó y empujó fuertemente a Norah.<br /> <br /> "Ya se te ha mostrado suficiente indulgencia. ¿Crees que puedes hablarnos así? ¿Quién te crees que eres? ¿Cómo te atreves a tratarnos a Derek y a mí con tan poco respeto?".<br /> <br /> Luego, volvió a buscar refugio en los brazos del hombre.<br /> <br /> "Derek, Norah ha cruzado el límite. ¡Dale una lección!". Mirándolo lastimosamente, imploró: "Mira, mi cabello y mi ropa están empapados".<br /> <br /> Su camisa blanca se pegaba a ella, resaltando su elegante figura.<br /> <br /> Norah los observó con calma, como si presenciara un espectáculo circense.<br /> <br /> "Yo no pedí esas villas y propiedades. La familia Carter es bastante adinerada, pero todavía duda ante asuntos tan pequeños. Lo entiendo, piensas que no lo merezco", declaró con un tono burlón pero carente de amargura.<br /> <br /> No obstante, Derek sintió un cambio profundo en la actitud de Norah.<br /> <br /> Con la mandíbula apretada, se secó el agua del rostro antes de volverse hacia Madeline.<br /> <br /> "Tengo muchas villas a mi nombre. Elige otra que te guste y será tuya".<br /> <br /> Pero la furia de Madeline hacia Norah latía a fuego lento. Además de Derek, nadie se había atrevido a faltarle el respeto de esa manera. La idea de que la exesposa no deseada de Derek actuara de esa manera era insoportable.<br /> <br /> Así que la fulminó con la mirada.<br /> <br /> "Entonces, ¿entregarás esa villa o no?".<br /> <br /> "No", respondió Norah firmemente.<br /> <br /> Un estruendo resonó cuando Madeline le dio una fuerte bofetada.<br /> <br /> "¿Cómo te atreves? Sin Derek, no eres nadie en la familia Wilson. ¡Solo eres una bastarda!", bramó Madeline.<br /> <br /> El rostro de Derek se ensombreció, pero no tardó en recuperar la calma.<br /> <br /> "Madeline, no te enfades por ella".<br /> <br /> Norah se tocó la mejilla e hizo una mueca por el ardor de la bofetada. Probando la sangre, le dio una mirada fulminante a la otra mujer y susurró:<br /> <br /> "Te faltan modales...".<br /> <br /> Madeline buscó refugio en los brazos de Derek.<br /> <br /> "Tengo a Derek a mi lado", se jactó. "¿Qué tienes tú? No eres más que un perro callejero que ya no quisieron más. ¡Ah! ¡Norah!".<br /> <br /> Norah le arrojó un jarrón. Este se estrelló contra el suelo cerca del sofá, rompiéndose en pedazos.<br /> <br /> "Si tienes ganas de ladrar, puedes hacerlo", agregó mientras se acercaba. Luego, agarró a Madeline por el cabello para obligarla a mirarla y la abofeteó ferozmente.<br /> <br /> Madeline se puso a gritar.<br /> <br /> "¡Derek!".<br /> <br /> Derek, sintiendo que Norah se había excedido, se enojó pero se contuvo.<br /> <br /> Después de liberar a Madeline, Norah retrocedió un paso.<br /> <br /> "Los dejaré en paz. Espero que encuentren alegría, tengan muchos hijos y estén juntos para toda la vida".<br /> <br /> Norah salió de la residencia de Derek mientras escuchaba a lo lejos los sollozos de Madeline.<br /> <br /> Cuando la puerta se cerró de golpe, esta empezó a gritar indignada.<br /> <br /> "Derek, ¿puedes creer lo que Norah acaba de hacer?", se quejó. "Nos mojó y me abofeteó. Tienes que darle una lección...".<br /> <br /> "¡Suficiente!", la interrumpió él. Masajeándose las sienes, suavizó su voz. "Norah y yo estamos divorciados. No quiero seguir enredándome con ella. Cumpliré tus deseos, Madeline. Pero cálmate, por favor".<br /> <br /> Con un puchero, ella se acurrucó en el abrazo de Derek.<br /> <br /> "El comportamiento de Norah hacia ti me irrita", murmuró con frustración. "Siempre has mencionado lo dócil que es, pero hoy fue todo lo contrario. Estaba muy agresiva".<br /> <br /> Derek recordó a Norah agarrando la taza para echarle agua, así como la mirada fría que le dirigió a Madeline cuando la abofeteó. Era un lado suyo que nunca había presenciado antes. Fue entonces cuando se dio cuenta de que no la conocía bien. Su impresión de ella solo se basaba en su obediencia.<br /> <br /> Al salir, Norah vio un sedán negro esperándola en la puerta. El conductor la saludó con respeto.<br /> <br /> "Señora Norah Carter, la señora Juliana Carter solicita su presencia".<br /> <br /> Ella estaba sorprendida y no sabía qué hacer, pero aun así entró al vehículo sin pensarlo dos veces.<br /> <br /> Pronto el auto se detuvo frente a una enorme villa. Era la mansión de los Carter, la residencia de los abuelos de Derek.<br /> <br /> "Señora Norah Carter...", saludó el mayordomo y llevó a la aparentemente preocupada Norah al interior.<br /> <br /> Parecía querer seguir conversando, pero finalmente decidió permanecer callado.<br /> <br /> "La señora Juliana dice que no la ve desde hace mucho. La cena aún no está servida, así que podría pasar tiempo con ella antes de cenar".<br /> <br /> Norah bajó los ojos y no dijo nada. Tenía la sensación de que Juliana quería convencerla de que reconsiderara el divorcio.<br /> <br /> La mansión solía ser muy tranquila, ya que solo era habitada por los abuelos de Derek. Pero esta cobró vida cuando Juliana, la abuela de Derek, notó la llegada de Norah y la invitó calurosamente a acercarse.<br /> <br /> "Norah, siéntate aquí".<br /> <br /> Norah se instaló y la saludó con una sonrisa a pesar de su confusión.<br /> <br /> Juliana agarró su mano.<br /> <br /> "No me has visitado en mucho tiempo", dijo ansiosamente.<br /> <br /> "¿Cómo va todo con Derek?".<br /> <br /> Norah supuso que la anciana la estaba poniendo a prueba. Dudaba que no supiera sobre el regreso de Madeline.<br /> <br /> Con aplomo, declaró:<br /> <br /> "Derek piensa que deberíamos divorciarnos. Acabo de firmar el acuerdo de divorcio para dejarle el paso libre a Madeline".<br /> <br /> "¿Madeline?", repitió Juliana tajantemente. "Sus acciones hicieron que Derek sufriera ese accidente. ¿Cómo se atreve a regresar a su vida? No te preocupes, yo te prefiero a ti sobre esa mujer. ¿Existe alguna posibilidad de que reconsideres el divorcio?".<br /> <br /> "¿Divorcio? ¡Quizás sea lo mejor!". Sharon Carter, la madre de Derek, se acercó con una sonrisa. Su presencia irradiaba sofisticación y encanto mientras se movía con seducción.<br /> <br /> Juliana se puso furiosa.<br /> <br /> "¡Camina bien! ¿Por qué te comportas así? No tienes modales".<br /> <br /> Sharon se sorprendió ante su reprimenda y su expresión se volvió incómoda. Mirando a Norah, agregó con tono gélido:<br /> <br /> "Menos mal están divorciados. Derek se iba a casar con Luna Wilson, la hija mayor de los Wilson. ¿Pero qué pasó? Luna fue tan desvergonzada como para involucrarse con otro hombre y terminó embarazada.<br /> <br /> En todos estos años viviendo en Glophia, nunca escuché que la familia Wilson tuviera otra hija. Me pregunto de dónde salió esta mujer. ¿No ha disfrutado de suficiente riqueza y prosperidad siendo la esposa de Derek durante dos años?".<br /> <br /> Capítulo3 Cambio de imagen<br /> Norah agarró la mano de Juliana. Su expresión se iluminó con una sonrisa, como si ignorara los duros comentarios de Sharon.<br /> <br /> "Parece que tienes un poco de tos. Estoy segura de que una sopa te ayudará a recuperarte. Le daré la receta al mayordomo más tarde".<br /> <br /> Juliana siempre había apreciado su docilidad y sensatez, así que respondió calurosamente:<br /> <br /> "Eres un ángel, Norah. No me estoy haciendo más joven y mi salud ha ido empeorando con la edad. Querida, tú eres la única que muestra tanta preocupación por mi bienestar".<br /> <br /> Al verse ignorada, Sharon palideció.<br /> <br /> "Oh, vamos", resopló. "¡Deja de fingir! Ahora que ya firmaste el acuerdo de divorcio, no es necesario que sigas actuando. ¿De verdad crees que permanecer cerca de Juliana te otorgará el derecho de seguir beneficiándote de nuestra familia?".<br /> <br /> Antes de que Norah pudiera responder, la anciana intervino:<br /> <br /> "Ella ha sido amable con todos nosotros desde que formó parte de esta familia. Estuvo al lado de Derek durante su coma y lo cuidó diligentemente. Sin mencionar que siempre nos ha tratado a ti y a mí con respeto. ¿Por qué ahora eres tan desagradecida, después de todo lo que ha hecho por nuestra familia en estos años?".<br /> <br /> "¡Juliana! Norah no es más que una bastarda de los Wilson. ¿Por qué la defiendes?". Sharon dio un pisotón.<br /> <br /> Luego, se volvió hacia Norah.<br /> <br /> "¿Dije algo malo? ¿Cómo merece esta bastarda ser la esposa de Derek? Si tú y tu esposo no hubieran insistido en que ella se casara con Derek, jamás la habría aprobado. Además, ha vivido de la fortuna de la familia Carter todo este tiempo. Es comprensible que nos trate con respeto. ¿Por qué haces que parezca como si hubiera hecho algo grandioso? Tampoco ha concebido en todos estos años. Quieres bisnietos, ¿no? Apuesto a que Derek se divorció de ella por ese motivo".<br /> <br /> El rostro de Juliana se volvió severo.<br /> <br /> "Sharon, cuida tus palabras. ¿Cómo puedes decir semejantes estupideces?".<br /> <br /> Aunque estaba sorprendida por su severidad, Sharon replicó:<br /> <br /> "Solo estoy exponiendo los hechos. Es una suerte que no haya concebido, ya que eso podría haber complicado el divorcio. Cualquier hijo suyo sería tan desagradable como ella".<br /> <br /> Juliana estaba perturbada por las palabras de su nuera, pero se limitó a agarrar la mano de Norah para tranquilizarla.<br /> <br /> "Ignórala, Norah. Es una mujer grosera y malhablada. Por favor, no te precipites con el asunto del divorcio. Mientras respire, solo te reconoceré a ti como la esposa de Derek. Mi esposo y yo te apreciamos muchísimo. No te preocupes por la reacción de mi nieto. Concéntrate en llevarte bien con él y sigan viviendo plenamente juntos".<br /> <br /> Sharon se veía bastante frustrada.<br /> <br /> "Juliana, ¿qué te pasa? ¿Por qué tú y tu esposo siempre defienden a Norah? ¡Maldita sea! Norah, lo mejor es que aceptes que tú y Derek terminaron".<br /> <br /> Norah alzó los ojos llorosos hacia Juliana.<br /> <br /> "Basta de tonterías, Sharon", espetó la anciana, manteniendo la compostura. "No tienes voz ni voto en el matrimonio de Derek. No opines sobre ese asunto, y déjame resaltar una vez más que prefiero a Norah. Si no puedes hablar debidamente, sal de mi vista. ¡Ahora!".<br /> <br /> El rostro de Sharon se enrojeció de furia y vergüenza. Tuvo que apretar los labios con fuerza para reprimir cualquier otra objeción.<br /> <br /> Juliana volvió a centrar su atención en Norah:<br /> <br /> "¿Qué piensas?".<br /> <br /> Norah se encontró con su mirada. Las lágrimas rodaban por sus mejillas mientras luchaba por hablar.<br /> <br /> "Yo... Te agradezco mucho, Juliana. Pero hoy encontré a Madeline y Derek teniendo sexo en lo que solía ser nuestra cama. Además, la indiferencia de Derek me ha dado a entender que no tiene sentido continuar con este matrimonio".<br /> <br /> El rostro de Juliana se volvió de un blanco fantasmal y sus rasgos se arrugaron por la preocupación.<br /> <br /> "La culpa es de Derek". Luego, agarró firmemente sus manos para consolarla. "Has soportado mucho durante todo este tiempo".<br /> <br /> Norah permaneció callada. Un breve silencio se apoderó de la sala de estar.<br /> <br /> De repente, se escuchó la fuerte voz de Sharon.<br /> <br /> "¿La puta de Madeline ha vuelto? ¡Maldición! Voy a salir, Juliana. ¡Tengo que hacer que esa puta pague!".<br /> <br /> Sharon agarró rápidamente su bolso y salió corriendo.<br /> <br /> Norah se secó las lágrimas y esbozó una sonrisa de alivio.<br /> <br /> "Estoy bien, en serio".<br /> <br /> Juliana tenía el corazón apesadumbrado.<br /> <br /> "Bueno, no te presionaré más. Pero visítame cuando tengas tiempo. Solo tu compañía me basta".<br /> <br /> Las lágrimas se acumularon en sus ojos. Realmente se había encariñado con Norah y reconocía su importancia en la recuperación de su nieto.<br /> <br /> Norah secó tiernamente las lágrimas de la anciana, apreciando la genuina bondad que le había mostrado.<br /> <br /> "Lo haré. Bueno, tengo que irme. Por favor, deberías pedir a la criada que le prepare la sopa".<br /> <br /> Norah se marchó sin mirar atrás, sin darse cuenta de la resolución en los ojos de Juliana.<br /> <br /> Esta se secó los ojos y le indicó al mayordomo:<br /> <br /> "Haz que Derek y los demás vengan aquí mañana al mediodía".<br /> <br /> "Entendido", contestó él.<br /> <br /> Cuando Norah salió de la mansión de los Carter, el chófer de la familia se acercó a ella.<br /> <br /> "Señora, ¿adónde le gustaría ir?".<br /> <br /> Sus modales seguían siendo educados, ya que todavía la consideraba la esposa de Derek.<br /> <br /> Pero una vez que firmó el documento de divorcio, Norah comprendió que había roto sus lazos con la familia Carter.<br /> <br /> Al mirar su teléfono, descubrió que había un mensaje nuevo.<br /> <br /> Era de Joanna Andrews, su amiga.<br /> <br /> "Norah, ¿estás disponible esta noche para acompañarme al club Glamour? Madeline ha regresado, así que Derek le organizará una fiesta de bienvenida. ¡Va a ser todo un espectáculo! Tenemos que hacer sentir nuestra presencia".<br /> <br /> Norah le dio una respuesta breve.<br /> <br /> "Cuenta conmigo".<br /> <br /> Joanna envió varios signos de interrogación. La rápida aceptación de su amiga la tomó con la guardia baja.<br /> <br /> "Estoy oficialmente divorciada", explicó Norah. "De ahora en adelante, estaré sola".<br /> <br /> Joanna no respondió nada por un momento, pero luego envió un mensaje emocionado con una ráfaga de signos de exclamación.<br /> <br /> "Norah, ¡¿dónde estás ahora?! ¡¡¡Iré por ti inmediatamente!!! ¡¡¡Solo dame diez segundos para llegar!!!".<br /> <br /> Divertida ante el entusiasmo de su amiga, Norah le envió una ubicación y le indicó al conductor:<br /> <br /> "Por favor, lléveme al Edificio Splendor".<br /> <br /> Era un lugar conocido en Glophia por ser un lujoso centro comercial, con marcas de primer nivel de todo el mundo.<br /> <br /> Al llegar, Norah fue recibida calurosamente.<br /> <br /> "Noelle, me alegro mucho de verte. ¿Viniste para entregar los bocetos de diseño?".<br /> <br /> El lujoso vestidor estaba repleto de impresionantes vestidos de alta costura, cada uno adornado con brillantes diamantes que reflejaban la luz.<br /> <br /> Aaron Harvey, el diseñador de alta costura de Asodence, se acercó teatralmente a ella y la tomó del brazo.<br /> <br /> "Me duele cada vez que te veo así. ¿Por qué escondes tu hermoso rostro? Eres la flor más exquisita, así que deberías florecer con valentía".<br /> <br /> Norah parpadeó.<br /> <br /> "Estoy de acuerdo, Aaron. ¿Puedes ayudarme con un cambio de imagen?".<br /> <br /> Aaron esperó que Norah le diera excusas, así que estaba a punto de continuar con la persuasión, pero entonces se quedó paralizado.<br /> <br /> "¡Espera! Tú... Noelle, ¿de verdad quieres tener una transformación? ¡Oh, por Dios! Acudir a mí fue la mejor decisión de tu vida".<br /> <br /> Dejando de lado el tema de los borradores de diseño, Aaron la llevó a la silla de maquillaje.<br /> <br /> "Quédate quieta. Te aseguro que serás una mujer deslumbrante cuando deje que tu belleza natural y tu irresistible encanto hagan su magia".<br /> <br /> Aaron observó el sencillo atuendo y el cabello despeinado de Norah. Luego, comenzó entusiasmadamente su transformación con una brocha de maquillaje en la mano.<br /> <br /> Cuando Joanna llegó al lugar, todavía seguían maquillando a Norah.<br /> <br /> Como conocía a Aaron, fue a saludarlo y se sentó en una cercana silla de maquillaje.<br /> <br /> "Norah, te felicito por tu regreso oficial a una vida despreocupada".<br /> <br /> Capítulo4 Club Glamour<br /> Norah le dio una sonrisa.<br /> <br /> "Eres muy hábil con las palabras, Joanna".<br /> <br /> "Oye, ¿no estabas enamorada de Derek?", preguntó ella con curiosidad. "¿Qué te hizo recuperarte y olvidar tu amor?".<br /> <br /> "Acabo de encontrarlo con Madeline en la cama", explicó Norah con voz gélida.<br /> <br /> Joanna se echó a reír.<br /> <br /> "¿Tan desesperada está Madeline por estar con un hombre? Apenas ha regresado y ya se metió con el esposo de otra persona. Me pregunto cómo era su vida en el extranjero. Bueno, debo reconocer que tú y Derek ambos son demasiado dedicados al amor. Él estaba obsesionado con su primer amor y tú le eras completamente devota, a pesar de que nunca te correspondió. ¿Acaso el amor ciega tanto a la gente?".<br /> <br /> La mente de Norah empezó a vagar. Hoy había sido la primera vez que vio a Madeline.<br /> <br /> Solo había escuchado hablar de ella a través de Derek y el personal de la casa. Todos la describían como amable, empática, educada y tranquila, alguien que podía atraerlo.<br /> <br /> Norah siempre había hecho de todo para cuidarlo, adoptando las supuestas características de Madeline, incluso tratando de parecerse a ella para llamar su atención.<br /> <br /> Pero ser un reemplazo nunca era suficiente. Además, Madeline no era en absoluto la persona que ella había imaginado.<br /> <br /> "Lo entenderías si alguna vez sintieras el amor", respondió sin mucho entusiasmo.<br /> <br /> Joanna frunció el ceño.<br /> <br /> "No quiero perderme en el amor, Norah. Prefiero estar alerta y a tu lado. Apenas nos vemos desde que te uniste a la familia Carter".<br /> <br /> Tras su matrimonio, Norah se dedicó a Derek y a la familia Carter, dejando atrás su vida pasada y sus amistades.<br /> <br /> "Norah, ahora que estás divorciada, ¿participarás en la carrera de la montaña Krusa en cinco días?".<br /> <br /> "No", contestó ella rotundamente. "Hace dos años que no participo en carreras, así que estoy fuera de práctica".<br /> <br /> Pero Joanna no parecía convencida.<br /> <br /> "¿Fuera de práctica? Dame una excusa mejor la próxima vez. Dime, Norah, ¿todavía tienes esperanzas de regresar con el bastardo de Derek?".<br /> <br /> Joanna quiso hablar mal de ese hombre, pero tuvo una idea.<br /> <br /> "¿Recuerdas la carrera de hace tres años? Nocturne fue el único que pudo alcanzarte. Desde que te retiraste, ha conseguido el primer puesto en la carrera de Krusa durante los últimos dos años. Todos esperan que vuelva a competir este año. ¿No quieres verlo?".<br /> <br /> La carrera de la montaña Krusa era un emocionante evento clandestino, una reunión de la élite joven y adinerada de Glophia que eran entusiastas de las carreras de autos. Ese evento era conocido por sus emocionantes carreras y atraía a una multitud fanática de los deportes extremos.<br /> <br /> Para proteger la privacidad de los concursantes, cada uno recibía una máscara de los organizadores y usaba apodos durante la carrera.<br /> <br /> Una peculiaridad era que el ganador podía pedirles a los perdedores que se quitaran la máscara.<br /> <br /> Norah recordó la emocionante carrera de hacía tres años, en la que Nocturne se quedó por poco con el primer puesto por unos escasos tres segundos.<br /> <br /> "Bueno, supongo que no hay nada de malo en echarle un vistazo", comentó con un brillo en los ojos.<br /> <br /> Aaron se mostró interesado cuando escuchó sobre el divorcio.<br /> <br /> "¿Estás divorciada, Noelle? Ese hombre no sabe lo que se perdió. Apuesto a que se arrepentirá de haber dejado a alguien tan valioso como tú. De todos modos, sobre esos borradores de diseño...".<br /> <br /> Joanna se volvió hacia Aaron.<br /> <br /> "Norah, ¿aún trabajas en diseños para BelleVogue? No me extraña que algunas de sus líneas de lujo se parezcan a tus creaciones".<br /> <br /> Aaron sonrió orgullosamente.<br /> <br /> "Noelle es una diseñadora de moda de primer nivel reconocida por la Asociación de Alta Costura. Es famosa en todo el mundo por sus diseños, los cuales están valorizados en precios altísimos. Afortunadamente, siendo cercano a Noelle, he sido el único que ha recibido sus creaciones en estos dos años".<br /> <br /> Joanna puso los ojos en blanco.<br /> <br /> "Todo esto es por el talento de Norah. ¿Qué tiene que ver contigo? Vamos, apúrate. Tengo que verme espectacular esta noche, al igual que Norah".<br /> <br /> "Bueno, bueno. Relájate y me aseguraré de que ambas se vean fabulosas".<br /> <br /> Una hora después, las dos amigas entraron al club Glamour.<br /> <br /> En la pista de baile, unas luces vibrantes giraban e iluminaban todo el lugar. La música sonaba con emoción mientras la gente bailaba. Sus rostros brillaban de alegría entre el olor a alcohol y el humo.<br /> <br /> El segundo piso ofrecía un ambiente más tranquilo. Ahí Norah se sentó en un sofá para beber su bebida, atrayendo miradas curiosas. Tenía puesto un pequeño vestido sin tirantes de color blanco plateado. Su cabello castaño estaba ligeramente rizado y caía sobre su espalda. La elegante curva de su cuello brillaba suavemente mientras inclinaba la cabeza para tomar un sorbo de su bebida.<br /> <br /> "¡Ahí está mi Norah!", exclamó Joanna y se sentó frente a ella. "No te has reunido conmigo en todo este tiempo. ¡Y siempre te ponías esos vestidos formales en la residencia de ese idiota! ¿No te sentías asfixiada? Es tan bueno verte una vez más en tu elemento. ¡Me hace tan feliz!".<br /> <br /> Norah siguió tomando su bebida en silencio.<br /> <br /> A medida que el ardiente líquido se deslizaba por su garganta hasta su vientre, su cuerpo empezó a entrar en calor.<br /> <br /> A pesar de que se había casado con un miembro de la familia Carter y lo atendía a diario, disfrutaba vestirse elegantemente y ponerse un maquillaje encantador. Pero Sharon y Kathy, la hermana de Derek, a menudo la criticaban por ser demasiado llamativa. Afirmaban que, como su esposo estaba postrado en cama, ella no tenía por qué vestirse tan extravagantemente.<br /> <br /> Por el bien de Derek, Norah se dedicó por completo a cuidarlo, convirtiéndose en su constante enfermera.<br /> <br /> Pero esos días habían quedado en el pasado. Ahora que se había liberado de la familia Carter, podía vestirse como quisiera, sin preocuparse por sus críticas.<br /> <br /> Joanna miró su teléfono y alzó la mirada.<br /> <br /> "Norah, ¿tienes algún plan para crear una escena en la estúpida fiesta de bienvenida de Derek para esa perra? ¿Te gustaría que traiga a algunas personas para hacer un escándalo?".<br /> <br /> Norah miró fijamente el líquido dorado que se arremolinaba en su vaso mientras lo movía de a pocos.<br /> <br /> "Vinimos aquí no solo por ellos, ¿verdad? Dime, ¿quién es la persona con la que me has citado?".<br /> <br /> Joanna pareció sorprenderse y esbozó una sonrisa astuta.<br /> <br /> "¿A qué te refieres, Norah? ¡Solo vinimos para agitar las cosas!".<br /> <br /> "Este club le pertenece a la familia Morris, así que preferiría no hacerlos enojar", explicó ella. "Soy consciente de que la estúpida fiesta de Derek solo es una excusa. Entonces, contéstame honestamente. ¿Quién te buscó para llegar a mí?".<br /> <br /> Su conversación fue interrumpida por el timbre de un teléfono. Joanna lo agarró a toda prisa y su rostro cambió.<br /> <br /> "Tengo que responder", murmuró alejándose. "Vuelvo enseguida".<br /> <br /> Norah notó la preocupación de su amiga y comprendió que tenía que atender algo urgente. Por lo tanto, asintió y dejó su bebida. El vaso tintineó ligeramente sobre la mesa.<br /> <br /> Independientemente de los planes que se estuvieran haciendo a través de Joanna, Norah confiaba en que su amiga no se volvería contra ella.<br /> <br /> "Hola, hermosa. ¿Estás sola? ¿Te importa si tomo una copa contigo?".<br /> <br /> ...<br /> &4&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.manobook.com/12781375-fb_contact-spa	111340554958658	Romantic Novel Town	https://facebook.com/100083419995460	11,697	2	1,525,904,621,617,123	2024-04-27 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	0	0	Learn more	Romantic Novel Town	120210256434310566	fbweb.manobook.com	NONE	video		https://fbweb.manobook.com/12781375-fb_contact-spa125_6-0407-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=295122&accid=804976781237053		2024-04-27 03:04	https://scontent.fmem1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438799616_964119514904818_928909951656556575_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=LqgpQNumDcEAb6sm7WC&_nc_ht=scontent.fmem1-2.fna&oh=00_AfCy_qIkqQgOBZX2LDchyKt7Kdp2xif1udCOtjdZe7fzNA&oe=66349A3A	person_profile	0	Manobook - Un matrimonio de conveniencia	https://scontent.fmem1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438829581_943040503965905_1591096678928617909_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=op-lecgYZ5cAb4WoP4m&_nc_ht=scontent.fmem1-1.fna&oh=00_AfD9gbja8tLNK0oZFiXrnv5ESOvpnRFKm_IQYXi2fa8g9g&oe=6634CCBC	3	Romantic Novel Town	2024-04-27 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,540,003	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-04-27 19:36	active	615	1030868568158875		My next free masterclass is coming up this week!<br /> <br /> Register on the first link in my bio or at <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.impactfulandpaidcoachworkshop.com%2Fhome&h=AT1Pni-yNs_zSulb1G652a0Ww0G52HmnB2m77IubgP6CYUkvPaIa8v3CFVn7RvVPZ3RlDiqLT7RzvL17yx1EVALOf_9jpdEakUKZ0o4IlW0hsB579NCarn9-5hw0NWMUuAjG1FyUdHciZ-crBn7F39_Tz0EbVBlBXbDPmc-S48s" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://www.impactfulandpaidcoachworkshop.com/home</a>	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/coachkellyj	410407965799594	Coach Kelly J	https://facebook.com/CoachKellyJefferson	31,986	1	717,539,393,211,591	2024-04-27 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Visit Instagram profile	Coach Kelly J	120200416965500232	instagram.com	NONE	video		http://instagram.com/coachkellyj		2023-11-10 15:19	https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/400440844_3288232314802086_4336769849822577440_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=YCtH0aOf0K0Q7kNvgHiq71I&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfCaFRwgcQtWpQni65WGrC7qYYEyxZZKJsJFbiR7RYTkMQ&oe=66336836	person_profile	0	Kelly Jefferson, PhD	https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/400194331_888399089535787_3655905617056044958_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=XWP9nC4lfkwQ7kNvgEmcjyR&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfAktJVqP6RshcKev7u-J9dUiKHPpXQyTmZdSyyTSRDMmQ&oe=66334D53	3	Coach Kelly J	2023-11-10 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,577,253	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":false,"simple_request_ratio":1,"is_bh_selenium":false,"selenium_ratio":0.999652209252797,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-04-28 16:33	active	631	399838546287633	Custom beer bar metal sign	💘 Personalized beer bar metal sign 😍<br /> buy now 🎁 <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.beneio.com%2FSK220&h=AT2xAB8xVdXRlNgQ_DJF3x9_MigihGkLBvNlbesdoBVJL_yYLuXUamosQcX1DEBlJ9Z8cudsJwqiM_nAwTowReYCnacdPiKySFnCa7gVa04ei9w146E5cIR_1Yy7vsTcU-MU8wSGS_7eKs7wnKERcbzpXx_L6tQfRJN6vA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://www.beneio.com/SK220</a><br /> <br /> 💘😍 The perfect gift for your friends or family	SHOP_NOW	https://www.beneio.com/SK220	101205886195703	beneio.com	https://facebook.com/100089147975771	46	0	0	2024-04-26 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	0	0	Shop now	beneio.com	120209130357650355	www.beneio.com	NONE	video		https://www.beneio.com/SK220		2024-04-24 03:22	https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439612996_956926079392658_3601680766133344124_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=uEpd1TTDKkYAb63SiZ-&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDw6Nwf-7nKIC-ft9q95UcU6WBJEpSlC2_TjQqQ7665bg&oe=66347847	person_profile	0	beneio.com	https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439929521_1417055122514641_7567828448462055478_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=FKUSi0_VZasAb4vUpgK&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfBlseBDs4DABUyrAXdF-PfhOj-jqmltmKRrc7ubPA9mFg&oe=66348997	3	beneio.com	2024-04-24 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,525,829	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1535778}'	No	2024-04-27 19:15	active	614	1850573762078283		💮💮💮 GIVEAWAY TIME 💮💮💮<br /> <br /> Enter to win a 12oz matte black jar, double wick candle of your choice of one of our scents!<br /> <br /> The giveaway ends Sunday 4/28 at 9pm. <br /> <br /> HOW TO ENTER: <br /> <br /> 💮 Follow our account <br /> 💮 Like this post <br /> 💮 Tag 3 friends below<br /> <br /> #naturalsoywax #candles #handpouredcandles #waxmelts #homedecor #madewithlove #nontoxic #scentedcandles #candlesofinstagram #imadethis #handmadegifts #gifts #giftideas #candleaddict #candlemaking #candlelovers #cozyhomedecor #giveaway #shopsmall #shoplocal #chicagosmallbusiness	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/c.a.s_candles	101095199476515	c.a.s_candles	https://www.instagram.com/_u/c.a.s_candles	0	1	1,792,949,834,522,078	2024-04-27 02:00	ig_ads_identity	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Visit Instagram profile	c.a.s_candles	120210381362990247	instagram.com	NONE	image		http://instagram.com/c.a.s_candles		2024-04-27 09:21	https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/355696186_126092183842957_2146563127072568595_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s200x200&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=3fd06f&_nc_ohc=nazxXiWDv0IQ7kNvgFno-Tt&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AfAaOwq9cuPWiHIpTr_UbIUoY6OJRC4pH-4fYpu-bY2N9Q&oe=663351C9	ig_ads_identity	1	C.A.S Candles	https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438254070_401419816066515_5879001687577284996_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=2jXJrwheRFcQ7kNvgE9yzO2&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=00_AfA9IvjjWPx0Oz-ovZ5lLdsYvQzcHG4o9OGH0wUGxqXzHw&oe=66336E8A	3	c.a.s_candles	2024-04-27 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,580,994	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1580859}'	Yes	2024-04-28 17:22	active	632	1348853945806502	Read More Exciting Content👉	Calvin is my boyfriend, and we have been together for many years. Although other people in the pack often bully me, if Calvin is around, I can persevere. On that day, Calvin's birthday, I found out that he had an affair with my sister, and I decided to leave the pack. Just as I was about to leave, Alpha King came to our pack, and he captured everyone.<br /> "You want her? She's a human!"<br /> The king released a roar that made every member of the pack flinch and drop their heads lower in submission. With my face only a few inches from the ground, I watched with terror as the king moved away from me and stood before my biggest bully Kate. <br /> The greater distance between us allowed me to see more of him. He was larger than the other Lycans, his body covered in knotted scars that were visible beneath his fur.<br /> His claw was the size of Kate's head as he punched it through her ch#st, ripping her heart out the other side and sending the pack into a flurry of sobs and terrified mumblings for mercy.<br /> "You will do well to teach your pack to respect those above them." The witch's voice called out again, but I was trapped staring at Kate's body as the king pulled his hand out, and it fell to the ground.<br /> I was aware of him walking back to me, but I couldn’t take my eyes away. It was the large hand that grabbed me by my backpack and lifted me off the ground like a doll that brought me back to reality, and I instinctively met the glowing red eyes of the Lycan King.<br /> His deep voice sent a chill through me as he spoke, "Mine."<br /> ---<br /> Janet's P.O.V.<br /> <br /> I felt uneasy as soon as I entered the pack house. The way my pack mates were smirking at me, laughing behind their hands... I knew they were up to something. Their pranks and bullying had been getting worse and more painful each time they managed to get me alone. My bruises still hadn't gone away from the last time.<br /> <br /> My body ached from the beating I had taken two days ago, but I was only a few hours away from it all ending.<br /> <br /> I just needed to get to Calvin before they set their plan into motion.<br /> <br /> Calvin was my boyfriend of four years. He was the only one that cared for me, and the only one I could trust.<br /> <br /> We were high school sweethearts. He was also the next in line to become the Alpha of our pack. That didn't matter to me, but it did matter to the other women in the pack. They hated that he was with me. They felt that they deserved a stronger Luna than I would be, and they all wanted to be his chosen one.<br /> <br /> I hadn't even shifted yet. To them, I was no more than an omega...a runt as they liked to call me, the weakest of the litter.<br /> <br /> It should have happened three years ago when I turned sixteen, but it didn't. Now I was nineteen, the age at which we could recognize our mates as our wolves should have matured by then. Had I shifted, I would have known Calvin was my mate already, but we had to wait the extra two months until today, his nineteenth birthday, for him to recognize me as his mate.<br /> <br /> Calvin didn't care that I hadn't turned. We had been together since before either of us were old enough to shift, and we were both positive that we were mates. He stood by me and protected me from the cruelty of the wolves around us when I failed to shift with the others.<br /> <br /> 'Calvin? Where are you?' I asked through our pack link but received no response.<br /> <br /> "Poor little human, you have a lot of guts to show up here right now. Do you have any idea how happy the pack is? Having you here will just ruin it. This party is for pack wolves only." Kate, my sister's best friend, said as the crowd parted for her, and the music stopped. All of the party guests stopped dancing and talking to watch as the biggest bully in the pack approached me.<br /> <br /> The flashing lights of varying colors continued in the uncomfortable silence.<br /> <br /> I hoped the man of the hour would see the disruption and step forward to my side, but he didn't. As I glanced around at all of the amused faces, he was nowhere to be seen.<br /> <br /> "Calvin invited me. I am in this pack, and I'm allowed to be here." I whispered, but I could feel the heat building in the back of my eyes as they all laughed again. Something was going on, and it was more than just Kate running her big mouth.<br /> <br /> "Even he doesn't want you here." She sneered before smiling at me widely. "See for yourself. Where is Calvin, hm? I think he went up to his room. You should go bring him back down to the party and see what he has to say."<br /> <br /> I held his present against my chest tighter as I narrowed my eyes. She was up to something, but I wanted to get to Calvin more than I wanted to deal with her b##lsh!t.<br /> <br /> As I took a step forward, Kate stepped to the side, and I could feel everyone watching me with amusement as I went up the stairs.<br /> <br /> Calvin's room was at the end of the hall behind double doors, and I rushed toward it. I could hear people coming up the stairs behind me, no doubt being led by Kate, but my salvation was only a few feet away.<br /> <br /> As soon as I got in his room, I could close the door and act as if none of them existed.<br /> <br /> It would just be the two of us.<br /> <br /> There was a stirring in the back of my mind as I wrapped my hand around the cold doorknob. It was a warning, telling me not to go inside. It wanted me to turn around and run, knowing this was a trap. Yet, I turned the knob anyway and pushed the door open.<br /> <br /> The loud moan of the female beneath my boyfriend made me freeze, and I stared wide-eyed at the couple tangled together. <br /> <br /> Calvin thr#st into her quickly, releasing his own groans of pleasure.<br /> <br /> My stomach tied in a knot, and it felt hard to breathe. The small spark of light in my life was extinguished, sending my mind into complete darkness as I processed what I was seeing.<br /> <br /> He lifted his head, meeting my tear-streaked face, but not seeing me as his wolf was in control. His canines extended just before he latched onto her neck, puncturing the skin and marking her as his mate.<br /> <br /> My sister.<br /> <br /> "No," I whispered as my hand covered my mouth. Calvin pulled back snarling at the disruption.<br /> <br /> "I told you he didn't want you," Kate whispered into my ear, and my sister laughed from beneath my boyfriend as she reached up and ran her hand through Calvin's short blonde hair.<br /> <br /> "Would you mind closing the door, Janet?" Kelly asked innocently, but the malicious look in her narrowed eyes showed she was pleased by her victory over me. Not only had she stolen the love of my life, but she was now to be his Luna. "I'm trying to have a private moment with my mate."<br /> <br /> Mate.<br /> <br /> The word seemed so empty now. Calvin had hated Kelly. He had watched how mean she was toward me and resented her. Now, he was baring his teeth at me, defending her.<br /> <br /> "How could you?" I choked out as a sob wracked through my ch#st, and the present in my hold dropped to the floor before me. The sudden and loud noise seemed to snap Calvin back into control, and his eyes returned to their normal brown.<br /> <br /> His jaw dropped open as he glanced from me to my sister with guilt, but he didn't look the least bit regretful. He was happy to have found and marked his mate, he only hated that he had been caught cheating. The torn look on his face only made me angrier as he gasped my name while he pulled out of my sister. She sat up as he climbed to his feet, neither of them ashamed to be seen n@#ed.<br /> <br /> "Janet, I…" He said, stepping forward and causing me to take a step away, only to be pushed back toward him by the crowd of on-lookers.<br /> <br /> I stumbled forward, trying to stay as far away from him as possible.<br /> <br /> The steady stream of tears blurred my vision, and my ch#st hurt as he whispered my name again. "Janet…She’s, my mate." He finally announced, causing the house to cheer in celebration that their future Luna had been claimed.	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1,539,005	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-04-27 19:36	active	615	449349274215734	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	"I had a discussion with Alpha Jack of the Grey Blood Pack. His son, Matthew, will become the new Alpha in a few months. His father and I have agreed that Matthew needs to have a strong mate by his side to lead the pack successfully," Lily's father explained, "And that is not you." <br /> Lily felt as if her whole world had been turned upside down. She didn't know if she wanted to scream or cry. How could they make this decision for her?<br /> "In three days, you will attend the Rejection Ceremony. Then in a week, you will have a mating ceremony with someone more on your level, his brother, Garrett Hunter."<br /> Garrett? Garrett Hunter?? The disfigured, rejected brother of Matthew? How could they force me to reject my fated mate and then mate to his ruthless brother?!<br /> ————————<br /> Lily stared in horror at her father. She couldn't make sense of what he was saying. Why would Matthew reject her? When they talked on the phone all day, he never mentioned it.<br /> "You're joking," Lily said. "You have to be joking." <br /> Her father scowled at her because he disliked repeating himself. He paused for a moment to collect himself before saying, "This is no joke. You will be marrying Garrett Hunter."<br /> When Lily heard her father say those words, her heart sank. "I am his fated mate. We're meant to be together. Why would he want to reject me? There must be a mistake!"<br /> "Lily, you're an omega. No respectable Alpha would want you as their Luna. We're saving you the agony of having to deal with your mate having a mistress," her mother explained, "and it's not like you won't have a mate."<br /> "It's what you deserve, Lily. Garrett is perfect for you," Brandy said smugly. <br /> Garrett? Garrett Hunter?? The disfigured, rejected brother of Matthew? This had to be some sort of joke. They couldn't possibly be serious. But her parents were not laughing.<br /> Lily slid her seat back and stood up. She ran back to her room, slamming the door behind her. Brandy stood up to bring her back downstairs, but her mother stopped her.<br /> "Leave her alone. There is nowhere she can go. This is something she must accept," her mother stated.<br /> "Pick up the phone, Matthew. Come on!" Lily murmured as she dialed his number for the tenth time. It just rang again and again until it went to voicemail. Lily didn't bother leaving another voicemail because she had already left five.<br /> Lily sighed in frustration and tossed her phone to the floor before pacing the room. Why would her parents subject her to such cruelty? Wasn't it enough that they treated her like trash because she was an omega? But now they were going to take this away from her as well?!<br /> Lily nearly crashed into the wall to get to her phone when it buzzed on the bed. Her heart sank again when she realized it was Tiffany, not Matthew, calling. Lily answered the phone.<br /> "Hey girlie! It has been hours. What was the dinner about? Are you..." Tiffany started.<br /> Lily interjected and said, "Can I come over? I can't stay here. Please say yes."<br /> Hearing her tone, Tiffany became serious and asked, "What's wrong? Your sister is bothering you again?"<br /> "No. It's much worse. Please tell me I can come over," Lily pleaded.<br /> "Yes, you can come. I am not leaving for my parents' until tomorrow. Where are you? I can come to get you," Tiffany offered.<br /> "No. I will come to you," Lily said, "Thank you." She quickly hung up the phone. Lily went to her closet and grabbed an overnight bag. She yanked her dress off and changed into a t-shirt and workout pants.<br /> Lily then began packing items she didn't want to lose and enough clothes to get her through the holidays. She had no intention of coming back here.<br /> The door to her bedroom swung open, causing Lily to jump. She turned to see Mira, one of the omegas working in the kitchen. Mira placed her finger on her lips before she slowly closed the door behind her.<br /> "They told you," Mira said. It was more of a statement than a question. It made Lily sick to her stomach. Everyone had been smiling in her face. Did everyone but her know? It was humiliating that this was kept from her. "I was commanded not to tell you. I really wanted to."<br /> "It's fine, Mira. I know you wouldn't betray me," Lily responded. It would be physically impossible for Mira to go against a command. Perhaps if she were a Gamma or even a Beta, but as an Omega, the pain of it would have killed her wolf, which would've killed her.<br /> "I won't let them force me," Lily declared. "I can't let them take one of the only things that have made me happy."<br /> Mira and Lily grew very close growing up. As they were both omegas and Lily was excluded from high-ranking wolf activities, she spent most of her time with Mira. Mira's father, the pack doctor, was the reason she wanted to become a doctor in the first place.<br /> "Then, let me help you," Mira said, "I can get you out of here. They planned to leave you alone for the rest of the weekend."<br /> "You can't. If they find out..."<br /> "They'll assume I helped you even if I didn't. I'll be beaten no matter what, but I won't die," Mira countered, interrupting her. "Dad is already outside with a car to take you wherever you want to go."<br /> Lily hugged Mira tightly. Mira smiled slightly, wanting to go with her, but she was bound to the pack grounds. Leaving or even going rogue would harm her father's position in the pack. She couldn't risk it.<br /> "Thank you, Mira," Lily said.<br /> Tiffany opened her front door to see Lily standing like a beat dog in her doorway. Lily waved to the car that drove away. Tiffany pulled her into her home and quickly closed the door. Lily immediately began sobbing uncontrollably.<br /> "Lily, what's going on? What happened?" Tiffany asked, leading her to the sofa. She had already prepared Lily's favorite meal as well as hot cocoa.<br /> "They are trying to force me into a rejection ceremony," Lily managed to say.<br /> "What? Why? They can't do that. It'd be spitting in the Goddess' face. You could end up cursed or worse," Tiffany exclaimed.<br /> "They don't care. They don't think I'd be a fit for him because I'm an omega," Lily stated.<br /> "That's not up to them. That's up to the Goddess, and the Goddess wants you and Matthew to be together," Tiffany stated.<br /> "They don't see it that way. They..." Lily stopped in mid sentence as a horrible pain gripped her chest. She gasped as she clutched her chest and tried to slow her breathing.<br /> "Lily? Is it one of your panic attacks?" Tiffany asked.<br /> Lily could only nod, unable to speak as she concentrated on breathing as the pain radiated through her. She suffered from panic attacks for a long time. Lily assumed it was because of stress. It would eventually fade, thanks to Dina's assistance.<br /> Lily gasped in relief as the pain began to fade, and she said, "I'm okay now."<br /> "You need to speak with Matthew. You two can elope, and they won't be able to do anything about it,"<br /> "Elope?"<br /> --<br /> "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Tiffany asked as she walked Lily out of her apartment. She didn't want to leave her in such a terrible situation.<br /> "No, I need to do this alone," Lily answered with a weak smile. She couldn't get in contact with Matthew all night. Lily needed to speak with him. Whatever happened between her and Matthew, she would have to deal with it alone. Lily didn't want to get her too caught up in her family drama.<br /> "Well, you know where my spare key is," Tiffany said.<br /> "Don't worry about me. I'll be okay. Matthew and I will elope, and everything will be fine," Lily said.<br /> Tiffany smiled slightly, but Lily noticed that her eyes looked somewhat sad. She had known Tiffany long enough to know that she was holding back. Before Lily could ask Tiffany what she was thinking, Lily's cab arrived.<br /> Tiffany hugged her again and said, "Keep me updated. You know my parents will accept you with open arms. They said the offer is still open if you want to join my pack."<br /> Lily nodded and got into the cab. She waved goodbye before telling the cab driver, "10 Armstead Place." The cab driver nodded and drove off.<br /> The drive didn't take long. All the while, she could feel a stabbing pain in her chance. It was another anxiety attack. She had never felt so bad before.<br /> "Ma'am, are you okay?" the cab driver asked, noticing her distress.<br /> "Yes, I am fine. Thank you," Lily answered. "Just having a little panic attack, I think."<br /> 'It's the stress,' Dina said to her. 'I am doing everything I can to dull it. I can't reach Baldur. I don't know why he isn't responding to me. Do you think our father or maybe his father did something?'<br /> Baldur was Matthew's wolf. He was as happy as Dina when they learned that they were mates. As much as Lily and Matthew talked on the phone, Dina and Baldur communicated more telepathically.<br /> 'It could be. I can't believe it. I don't want to believe that Matthew would agree to this. Maybe he is cutting off all communication because he doesn't want anyone to find him. No one knows about his apartment in the city,' Lily responded.<br /> The city was a neutral zone for all supernatural creatures. Pack hierarchy or mutual dislike of different races wasn't tolerated here. The elders made it a point that all supernatural children grew up aware of others to squash any ignorance. It was a good idea in theory, but many outside factors were at play. People couldn't help but judge one another.<br /> "We're here," the cab driver said, bringing Lily out of her thoughts. She pulled out $40 from her wallet and said, "Keep the change." She got out of the car and rushed up the steps to Matthew's apartment.<br /> Lily had been there more than once over the weekend. Her family never knew when she was home, and she wanted to keep it that way. When it would get bad at home, Matthew was a reprieve for her as Lily didn't want to have to deal with her family any more than she had to.<br /> Lily quickly grabbed the spare key under the mat and opened the door. She stepped into his apartment, and the pain seemed to intensify. Lily gripped her chest and almost fell face-first into the carpet. She used the wall to move further into his apartment.<br /> There was a smell that she couldn't quite place. It made her hackles rise. She felt angry for no reason.<br /> 'Find him now,' Dina growled within her.<br /> 'What's wrong?' Lily asked, but Dina only responded with a growl.<br /> "Oh, Matthew! Pull my hair!"<br /> An all-too-familiar voice broke the silence, and Lily could now hear the slapping of skin. As she approached his bedroom, it became increasingly louder. Lily swallowed hard as she tried to process what she was hearing and what she didn't want to believe was happening. Lily's hand shivered as she was about to place her hand on the door.<br /> 'We must see this,' Dina growled. 'Open the door.'<br /> Lily slowly pushed open the door. There in front of her was Brandy and her sister having intercourse.<br /> The anxiety attacks, the waves of pain were Matthew having intercourse with her.<br /> Lily was almost catatonic as she watched the betrayal before her eyes. This was supposed to be her. She had waited years for him, and here he was having intercourse with this bimbo in front of her.<br /> Lily gripped the side of the door frame, her claws going straight through as she tried to compose herself. The sudden movement caused Matthew to look up. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw her.<br /> "Oh hello, sister. Did you enjoy the show?" Brandy mocked as Lily walked into the room. Lily said nothing as she approached Brandy. With all her might, Lily slapped Brandy hard enough to send her into the headboard.<br /> "You bimbo!" Brandy yelled as she gripped her head in pain. Lily slapped her again before Matthew caught her wrist. She used her other hand to slap Matthew across the face with strength she didn't know she had. Her claws left gashes on the side of his face.<br /> "Lily?!" Matthew exclaimed.<br /> "Don't ever speak to us, you filthy dog," Lily growled out. Her eyes were silver as it was Dina now talking. "All this time, you betrayed us for this bimbo!"<br /> "You have to understand, Lily. I didn't have a choice. I..."<br /> "Enough of your lies! I will go through with the rejection ceremony. We can do it tonight because I want to be rid of you. I'll take whatever curse the Goddess dishes out!" Lily screamed before storming out, leaving the door wide open.<br /> --<br /> "Don't you think that is inappropriate?" Kenneth asked his Luna from the doorway of their bedroom. <br /> "Not at all. It is a joyous occasion," Mandy said as she applied burgundy lipstick and stood up. She brushed the wrinkles out of her blue sweater dress as she looked herself over in the mirror before approaching him with a slight smile. "You should change. That suit is so depressing."<br /> "The suit is proper attire for the custom. You shouldn't take this much glee in her suffering," Kenneth responded, causing Mandy to frown. <br /> Mandy scoffed and said, "Don't try to act like you care about the little brat now. Don't be a hypocrite. You could care less and this arrangement will benefit the both of us."<br /> "At least make it believable in front of the Hunters," Kenneth reasoned. Mandy rolled her eyes. Of course she would behave. What kind of idiot did he take her for?<br /> "Come. You wouldn't want to keep Lily waiting," Mandy said condescendingly. <br /> Again, Kenneth didn't respond and followed Mandy to the entertainment hall. Both packs were in attendance. Both acknowledged their presence, showing their necks to them both. <br /> Alpha Jack and Luna Kelly looked agitated by the entire situation. The Luna of Grey Blood Pack was very against the rejection ceremony. However, she didn't have much say in the situation since both Alphas agreed to it. <br /> "Where is she?" Kenneth asked one of the omegas that were serving spirits. <br /> "She is coming, my Alpha. We are watching her closely. There is no chance she will run away again," the omega answered. <br /> Kenneth nodded and walked to the stage with Jack following behind him. He took a spoon to his spirits glass to get everyone's attention. <br /> "Thank you for joining us here tonight to celebrate the union of two great packs," Kenneth began and turned to Jack, "It is an honor that our packs will be united." <br /> "Yes, we look forward to our unified strength," Jack nodded. <br /> "Lily, Brandy, and Matthew Hunter, please come up here," Kenneth said. <br /> Brandy quickly came to greet her father. Kenneth frowned at her attire as he reluctantly hugged her. She was always scantily clad, even after telling her to dress appropriately for the occasion. <br /> 'Like mother, like daughter,' Kenneth's wolf, Jasper, said before growling in irritation at seeing Matthew. Kenneth had recently learned that Matthew had been sleeping with Brandy behind Lily's back. As a father and a believer of old customs, he wanted to choke him, but it was better this way. At least one of his daughters would be a proper Luna.<br /> 'We should tear his throat out for humiliating Lily,' Jasper growled.<br /> 'Calm down,' Kenneth told him.<br /> 'You're a pathetic father,' Jasper responded before blocking himself from Kenneth like he always did. <br /> After a few minutes, Lily did not show. Kenneth frowned and he spoke over the microphone, "Where is Lily? Bring her here!" He didn't need her defying him in front of both packs. This union had to happen. <br /> "I am here, father!"<br /> Matthew stood on the stage awkwardly. He didn't expect that both packs would be here for this. Matthew assumed that this would be a private affair, but he knew his mother had to have had a hand in this. <br /> Kelly had been horrified and disappointed in Matthew when she discovered that Matthew had been sleeping with Lily's little sister. No one in their line had ever denied the Moon Goddess' will up until now. The only thing that calmed her was that Lily would still marry into the pack. <br /> Matthew didn't really want to be mated with Brandy. He just wanted to have fun before he was forever bound to Lily. However, he understood why his father wanted him to mate Mandy instead. An Alpha had to be seen as strong. A weak Luna was a liability. He could not rule a pack with an omega Luna.<br /> 'It is not the right choice!' Baldur growled within him. 'Why did the Moon Goddess curse me to be bonded to you until death? She is meant for us! You know it!'<br /> 'There is nothing we can do now. It is done,' Matthew responded.<br /> 'You fool. You're going to regret this.' Baldur warned before Matthew suppressed him again like he always did when he didn't want to hear what he had to say. <br /> After Kenneth and his father Jack's speech, there was a pause as they waited for Lily to appear. She had not shown up, which infuriated Kenneth. As he demanded to know where Lily was, her voice rang out. <br /> "I am here, father!"<br /> Lily emerged from the crowd, taking Matthew's breath away. There were murmurs from the crowd as they watched Lily. She wore a simple form-fitting strapless white dress with an overlay of lace. Her hair was pulled up in a bun, and a white veil covered her face. Lily wore her wedding dress to the rejection ceremony. <br /> When she got to the stage, she hugged her father, ignored Mandy, and curtsied to Alpha Jack and Luna Kelly before taking her position in front of Matthew. Lily kept a calm expression, but Matthew could see the fury in Lily's eyes. <br /> "Lily, I..." Matthew started, but she raised her hand, stopping him. <br /> Lily gave her hand to Jack and nodded to him. Jack smirked. This little female had sass. It was a shame that she was not an Alpha. Jack took the ceremonial blade and cut her palm. Matthew gave his hand to Kenneth, and he cut Matthew's hand. <br /> "I... I..." Matthew stammered. He found that he could not bring himself to say the words. Everything in him told him it was wrong. "Father, I can't. I..."<br /> "I, Lily Bray, the first-born daughter of Alpha Kenneth Bray, and my wolf, Dina, reject you, Matthew Hunter, the first-born son of Kenneth Hunter, and your wolf Baldur for your betrayal of our mate bond with my sister, Brandy," Lily said firmly as she grabbed Matthew's hand. "Do you accept?"<br /> There were gasps and murmurs from the audience, as no female in history has willingly rejected their mate. It was such a scandalous affair as both sets of parents wanted to keep it hushed that Matthew had been cheating, which was partly why the rejection ceremony was happening. <br /> Lily wasn't having any of it. They wanted to embarrass her publicly, so she wanted everyone to know the truth.<br /> "I... Matthew Hunter, the first-born son of Kenneth Hunter...accept your rejection," Matthew managed to say. As soon as the words left his mouth, he could feel their mate bond fully snap. Baldur howled in anguish within him as his bond with Dina snapped away even though he refused to accept the rejection. <br /> Lily fought the urge to collapse there on the stage. She welcomed the pain, embraced it as this was nothing compared to the anguish she felt over the betrayal. "I wish Matthew and Brandy well with their upcoming mating ceremony," Lily finally said. She turned to leave but was stopped by Brandy's grip on her wrist. <br /> "We accept your blessings dear sister. We hope to see you at our mating ceremony as I won't be able to go through with it if you aren't there by my side," Brandy said with a smug smile, wanting to see Lily lose her composure. <br /> Lily resisted the urge to scream at Brandy and punch her in the face. She kept her face calm and relaxed despite an eye twitch. Lily pulled her wrist free before grabbing her hand with her bloodied hand. <br /> Lily looked deep into Brandy's eyes trying to convey the hatred and anger she felt for her through her eyes. It didn't go unnoticed that Brandy stepped back due to the intensity of Lily's gaze. "Of course, Brandy. I wouldn't miss it for the world," Lily answered before removing her hand from hers. With another curtsy, Lily left the entertainment hall. She didn't collapse into tears until she reached her bedroom.<br /> "Dad! You can't be serious!" Lily exclaimed as she was dragged down the hallway by her father. <br /> After the rejection ceremony, Lily stayed in her room to mourn the loss of her mating bond for two days. She prayed and begged the Moon Goddess for forgiveness. Lily never wanted to do this, but she didn't have a choice. She couldn't be tied to an unfaithful mate for the rest of her life. <br /> On the second night, her father, Kenneth, kicked the door in to drag her out. Because Garrett didn't attend the rejection ceremony, Kenneth was bent on Lily being bonded to Garrett immediately. <br /> After receiving a phone call that Garrett was back from a business trip and was staying at the Blueberry Suites, Kenneth knew that he had to get Lily to him. He forced her to go to the pack doctor to have every test done to show that she was still pure and genetically tested to show she had no defects before getting her ready to go to the hotel. <br /> "You shut up!" Kenneth exclaimed. "Do you know how your little stunt made us seem to the other packs?"<br /> "You look powerful and smart, right? That's what you wanted!" Lily snapped back and Kenneth slapped her. <br /> "You embarrassed us! You wore your wedding dress. You were supposed to be the regretful mate, not an over zealous harlot!" Kenneth raged. <br /> "Harlot? I'm the harlot? Of course, you wouldn't talk bad about your dear daughter Brandy," Lily retorted. <br /> Kenneth slapped her again and Lily growled in warning at him. "Don't you dare! You're not stupid. You should have known better. No Alpha will want an Omega. Because of your antics, Brandy can't even use your dress. By ensuring your bond to Garrett, Alpha Jack promises to pay for everything," Kenneth retorted. <br /> "What about what I want? You got what you wanted! Brandy will be Matthew's Luna! Why must you do this to me? You could disown me. You could expel me from the pack!" Lily asked as she was brought to a door. She should've taken her friend up on her offer to go out of state with her for the holidays. Perhaps she would've been able to avoid all of this.<br /> "You made your decisions and I have made mine. Maybe if you hadn't tried to keep your money from me, this wouldn't be happening. Your little stunt didn't work," Kenneth sneered. <br /> "No! That money doesn't belong to you! I worked so hard..." <br /> "You have no say! You only received privileges because you are my daughter. You hold no value. You are a tool and nothing else. The quicker you understand that, the better off you'll be!" Kenneth snapped, cutting Lily off. He pried the jacket off his daughter, revealing her attire: a silky white camisole. "Hopefully, he'll teach you how to behave and know your place in the world."<br /> For the first time in her life, she wanted to physically harm her father. Lily wanted to shift and maul her father, but she was still too weak from the broken mate bond. She was helpless as Kenneth opened the door to the room and shoved her inside, causing her to fall hard on her butt. Her father slammed the door in her face, locking it behind him. <br /> Lily beat on the door when she realized she couldn't open it. 'Calm down Lily. Let's see if there is another way we can get out,' Dina said. Lily nodded and began to explore the room.<br /> The room was decorated with honey hues, for they gave a sense of home away from home, of a place of nurturing safety. However, Lily didn't feel safe at all. She felt like her whole world had been turned upside down. <br /> Tonight was her engagement night as her father explained it. It was more like she was being offered up on a silver platter to a predator.<br /> When she realized the windows were locked and couldn't break them, Lily quickly turned the lights off and sat down on the bed. The room was now pitch black and eerily quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the fan that was hiding Lily's rapid breathing. Lily lay stiffly on the bed, feeling like her body was under a spell. She was unable to move. <br /> Lily heard the door opening, and light entered the room, blinding her for a moment. She closed her eyes in fright, afraid of what would happen next.	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1,550,290	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1550351}'	No	2024-04-28 11:38	active	617	1090640912047767	Glow Up With Our Organic Turmeric Soap	Bring back your natural radiating glow with our superfood-packed Turmeric Soap. Dark spots on your face, back, and inner thighs making you insecure? Say less! 🌼<br /> Shop Now ➔ <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvirallabshop.com%2Fproducts%2Fcopy-of-brightskin%25E2%2584%25A2-turmeric-brightening-soap&h=AT3Wf114JZf4XE3_JFvgPOE2Y2b6zW_NzqZyjjrbU_0GCIneswIrPqxigTm_-DhMMaugjWwIdoGjP-xDvy9F73jQq-Hf53pXTq3AoGbH9VhknRx9Ppn7_1475kWg6WlmkTrmL_VssF6pbNFNPNQ8pA" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://virallabshop.com/products/copy-of-brightskin™-turmeric-brightening-soap</a>	SHOP_NOW	https://virallabshop.com/products/copy-of-brightsk	257956236071628	Sofemin Soul	https://facebook.com/100078507997178	111	0	282,662,604,912,782	2024-04-28 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Shop now	Sofemin Soul	120207571479860258	virallabshop.com	NONE	video	5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	https://virallabshop.com/products/copy-of-brightskin%E2%84%A2-turmeric-brightening-soap		2024-04-28 02:01	https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438304112_1448800765748068_3523449674791130709_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=vDahPZpVaAsQ7kNvgGkpG5Y&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-1.xx&oh=00_AfB2DMLmf-pqymaFWgEPeufEkSomk_imZAuPIQkc6a6Q_w&oe=66344F27	person_profile	0	Sofemin Soul	https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438260462_961301121989469_2526781921405781493_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=7pdgXct6JFsQ7kNvgHkmtHT&_nc_oc=Adges3BxBpaad7_t6FrX6YJ-XM4rL6nKFbYrP6vsmY17fTrQEx13W9XV4Ow_jNLFJvo&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-2.xx&oh=00_AfA_HvzxzLYTqFGfnIifE6vGZg5CE309CcefS1ycgO0FzQ&oe=663456A5	3	Sofemin Soul	2024-04-28 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,530,823	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-04-27 19:22	active	615	725206376250823	🎁Buy 1 Get 20% off🎁	💥Quality sunglasses, fast shipping out😎<br /> wonderful packaging with extras included🎁<br /> 🛒Get your👉<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F3N2wzfa&h=AT2BN7I41ODt_z3CjKO7u7uY00YT9BH_cYg43DaAt2BKgZAwAG6TgsVyi35s32JVmiflPS7SnOw1ZEUPRd_5VAho4Y_CHSpl_IUqjcByZZpBTgFoU5PNrivaoP4Y8CVYnBWnhtke4DPHWodhzBLdkryBC2sbdJ5fdL-cGkK5eF_o5_aPoxU" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="async">https://bit.ly/3N2wzfa</a>	SHOP_NOW	https://kellyjewellery.com/collections/sunglasses	153410461196881	Kelly Store	https://facebook.com/61553440186902	26	1	1,582,488,722,565,382	2024-04-27 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Shop now	Kelly Store	120204744772260632	kellyjewellery.com	NONE	video	Over $49.99 free shipping	https://kellyjewellery.com/collections/sunglasses		2024-02-01 04:07	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/424778970_1624706108060684_8031862465629218395_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=dPeNRJ2KevsAb7sY4dH&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfBcllhvBH7RAJBo0DOKoNBybOo-7IQRDg2Cu6wIISIE7Q&oe=66334FBB	person_profile	0	Kellyjewellery	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/424723575_822873512940651_6657422655730583147_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=k2u1BDDCbgkAb6sGXL2&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBAD0rLwgXSANVMOTkOW_R_5BICSU-435CKQnXycVSWwg&oe=66334F39	3	Kelly Store	2024-02-01 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,552,512	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1552222}'	No	2024-04-28 11:39	active	618	1963243750740579	💯 End Nerve Tingling and Burning Sensations	🔥 Many have been told Neuropathy is irreversible nerve damage, that's not true... ⤵️<br /> <br /> The root cause is not even in the nerves themselves... <br /> <br /> But in decay of the branches that connect them. <br /> <br /> Meet Benjamin Marsh, a retired sergeant who uncovered the unbelievable truth that's been hidden from you. <br /> <br /> Who had to find for himself that the relentless burning, tingling, and numbness in his hands and feet...<br /> <br /> Was his nerves screaming for help, telling him to do something or give up the limb! <br /> <br /> After the pain relievers made his problem worse, he tried all conventional remedies without success...<br /> <br /> Until, in his desperate search, Benjamin stumbled on an ancient East-Asian secret that changed his life forever.<br /> <br /> Now shown in clinical trials to turn back Neuropathy...<br /> <br /> …and extinguish all nerve discomfort in just a few days by scientists from John Hopkins and California University...<br /> <br /> Some institutes are even calling it the "heal-all fungus".<br /> <br /> This message is reaching you NOW for a reason. <br /> <br /> We're unveiling this secret only to a select few, and today, you're one of them. <br /> <br /> Learn l the full story behind <br /> Benjamin’s discovery and seize the chance to transform your life. <br /> <br /> This isn’t just hope; it's a solution at your fingertips – but only if you act now! ⏱️	LEARN_MORE	https://instituteofneuropathy.com/nerve-solution	100291402430512	Neurology Daily	https://facebook.com/neurologydaily	406	2	975,059,977,599,849	2024-04-28 02:00	regular_page	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Learn more	Neurology Daily	120208752014860373	instituteofneuropathy.com	NONE	image	If you’re OVER 45 and as soon as your feet touch the ground you feel a hard discomfort, tingling or some burning sensation...	https://instituteofneuropathy.com/nerve-solution		2024-04-26 11:04	https://scontent.fcae1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439606122_1444806523073664_5640829273482976_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=JcfBAhFIfjUQ7kNvgFk7K_5&_nc_ht=scontent.fcae1-1.fna&oh=00_AfDvHzNJS9hgvNwU2d_PmkO8WE2qiTql6rPbYdO9YSHXWQ&oe=663459C9	person_profile	0	Neurology Daily	https://scontent.fcae1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438935819_2471422459718454_5548906203475143758_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5Jm23-gQSSkQ7kNvgGauJpc&_nc_ht=scontent.fcae1-1.fna&oh=00_AfCkb5j6pfS3wm6Bqe_AsoLnAt1DDueAKqUJXhoOg5WG3g&oe=66344F56	3	Neurology Daily	2024-04-26 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,583,795	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-04-28 18:59	active	633	1006080207853273	Save 35% On The ALOHA Bar Sample Pack	Tired of plant-based protein bars that are chalky and grainy?<br /> <br /> It's time to try the better bar.<br /> <br /> The Award-Winning ALOHA Bar is the fastest-growing plant-based protein bar for a reason.<br /> <br /> Mouthwateringly delicious taste in a soft, crumb-free texture.<br /> <br /> All while packed with Certified USDA Organic ingredients that are free of soy, whey, dairy, and gluten.<br /> <br /> Try an ALOHA Bar today.	LEARN_MORE	https://aloha.com/pages/sampler-pack-aa-offer	465725546813790	ALOHA	https://facebook.com/aloha	563,004	1	422,703,386,693,298	2024-04-28 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	ALOHA	6540479527992	aloha.com	NONE	video	ALOHA is the better bar for a reason.	https://aloha.com/pages/sampler-pack-aa-offer		2024-02-13 17:28	https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/427704206_732700845621640_5318648264117942257_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=jnvcSTciVZIQ7kNvgEzsOLG&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=00_AfDnBVvkPswICEZiikSD4ZHPf915hgpGF-mogvbdwqGxXw&oe=6634BF78	person_profile	0	ALOHA	https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/426354430_911646140497895_5483749105223880562_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kP3k2tDgRP4Q7kNvgGhb7vx&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=00_AfC4rEGqG5efYhOiLUjzCiF0wyHOMwIsi4SNva5ARoM7uQ&oe=66349A6A	3	ALOHA	2024-04-28 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,583,110	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1583112}'	No	2024-04-28 18:58	active	633	819230606928523	Free Report Reveals 23 Levers That Force Your Website To Grow Online	The number one thing that drives the most traction in a dental practice is digital presence.<br /> <br /> If you can grow your digital presence, this can 3x, 5x, or even 10x your business.<br /> <br /> And it all starts with...<br /> <br /> A clear and effective website that does all the heavy lifting of driving your online growth.<br /> <br /> However, not just any website that’s slapped together is capable of this…<br /> <br /> Most websites sit there barely doing anything towards building online growth.<br /> <br /> When instead if you have your website built right, it would:<br /> <br /> ✅ Grow your organic traffic effectively<br /> ✅ Capture leads and nurture them using proven systems<br /> ✅ Have high converting landing pages<br /> ✅ Give you clear and accurate analytics data helping you make informed decisions<br /> ✅ And would become an absolute nightmare for your competitors as it sucks away all their business online<br /> <br /> Most practice owners however have websites that sit there and do absolutely nothing when it comes to helping them grow online.<br /> <br /> It’s ridiculous.<br /> <br /> Hi, my name is Bryan Brkic, and the embarrassing truth is, a few years ago I was smashing my head against the wall trying to figure out how on Earth to build websites that actually pulled in sales.<br /> <br /> Back when I started my web design business from my bedroom, it seemed like everything I’d try just didn’t work…<br /> <br /> Every website I built looked better than the last, but it made absolutely no difference.<br /> <br /> No one cared.<br /> <br /> It felt like my websites were sitting in a dead online oasis waiting for someone to drop by...<br /> <br /> And if they did, they’d be outta there a few seconds after they arrived.<br /> <br /> With each website I built, I’d try something different and then think:<br /> <br /> “This is it, there’s no way things don’t work this time”<br /> <br /> But then the results were usually underwhelming…<br /> <br /> It was extremely frustrating.<br /> <br /> I ended up going down an endless rabbit-hole of learning and implementing all kinds of different marketing and copywriting strategies into the websites I built.<br /> <br /> I knew how to built websites that looked good and had incredible custom features…<br /> <br /> But one of the missing pieces was knowing what custom features actually moved the needle when it came to online growth.<br /> <br /> It took what felt like an eternity, but eventually I managed to figure out what my websites needed in order to generate sales and grow online.<br /> <br /> What made it difficult was that there were many missing pieces to figure out, and it was only when you have all of these pieces working together that you get a highly effective website.<br /> <br /> What I discovered was that the following 3 keys are what unlock by far the most online growth with your website:<br /> <br /> ✅ Organic growth: This includes implementing a way to create blog posts on your website, what topics to focus on for the posts, what keywords to embed in the posts, how to structure and write the posts, and how to build a highly SEO optimized website so that each post carries more weight and contributes more towards the growth of your organic traffic.<br /> ✅ Lead generation offers: A website absolutely needs a way to capture leads so that you can nurture them and market directly to them. Otherwise anyone that lands on your website and isn’t ready to become a new patient will disappear never to be seen again.<br /> ✅ Sales funnel: It’s important to think of your website as a system, and that system needs to funnel online prospects into new patients. Getting an online prospect to become a new patient isn’t easy, and that’s why you need a proven system in place to make this happen. This system is called a sales funnel, and your website needs to be built in a way where it itself is one of these systems.<br /> <br /> A website that implements highly effective systems for massive online growth is what I call a systematic website…<br /> <br /> And if you make the shift from having a “traditional website” into a “systematic website”…then you can watch as this beast sucks away most of the market online in your area leaving your competitors struggling to barely stay alive.<br /> <br /> These systematic websites include within them the 3 keys mentioned above.<br /> <br /> However, these 3 keys are only the ones I’ve found to be most effective.<br /> <br /> There are many other keys that are absolutely essential for building a highly effective website, and if you want to know what these keys are…<br /> <br /> Then I have some exciting news for you!<br /> <br /> I’ve just detailed every single key needed to create one of these powerful “systematic websites” in my brand new report titled “23 Mistakes Web Designers Make That Murder Your Website Conversions”.<br /> <br /> This highlights all of the major mistakes that web designers make when building a dental website and the keys to overcoming these mistakes so that you know exactly what your website needs in order to be highly competitive and help you grow online.<br /> <br /> And today I want to send you a copy for FREE!<br /> <br /> Simply click the link below to get your FREE copy today (before I take down this offer)<br /> <br /> <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedweb.ca%2Fresources%2Ffree-web-design-report&h=AT0F0KH69gWtk65FDlODvdbBBSMuVAs_bc0Nzk9TvIMde67X5tUCkYMOZJZxg7XA9r85v7HyO6uBeBAU-pgkSEOiq_cUHTP3rh_QCcSyvr_wDi_nnHIuF8bfv57FvVI-vPnfCLlzkbyWJNdGacWu5g" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://www.linkedweb.ca/resources/free-web-design-report</a><br /> <br /> Claim your FREE copy now and never again worry about how to build your digital presence and grow online.<br /> <br /> P.S. This is a limited time offer, so request your FREE copy today to avoid disappointment.	NO_BUTTON	https://www.linkedweb.ca/resources/free-web-design	2365849187022577	Linked Web	https://facebook.com/linkedwebinc	102	1	1,775,687,116,241,596	2024-04-28 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	No button	Linked Web	120209072779790057	linkedweb.ca/free-report	NONE	image	Years of research have found new discoveries on which factors have the highest impact for lead generation on dental websites.	https://www.linkedweb.ca/resources/free-web-design-report		2024-04-28 05:50	https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440964640_1667965474016262_4539727607563892203_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=a6m-MIt-zjMQ7kNvgE4JMmz&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&oh=00_AfALwgcF8F_e8wL6wNxf1uLn-9Jvj0KCUtaNBymbc1CzsQ&oe=6634C655	person_profile	0	Linked Web	https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440745512_1132050048214204_3688134081858286766_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=iSlk4Iz9bRMQ7kNvgE0IQxd&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&oh=00_AfCOTDnwj4F7hRJh0UHXhWkSJZyXusDLeS9RpjmT98bG1Q&oe=6634CCFC	3	Linked Web	2024-04-28 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,581,608	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1581610}'	No	2024-04-28 18:55	active	633	320815617697069	😍Read the next chapters👉	It was 2:00 am. Wendy Maxon hadn't been sleeping for long when she was once again awoken by the sound of her children crying. She sat up groggily and took her daughter, Jasmine Walker, from the nanny, Jane Seele's arms. She was half asleep, but her actions were quick as she unbuttoned her pajama top. Silence descended upon the room again. She'd just shut her eyes to rest them for a while when a sound came from the door. Wendy thought Jane was bringing her son, Daniel Walker, into the room. But when she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar figure. Her heart clenched as her gaze landed on the man's handsome face. It was 2:00 am, and her husband, Jason Walker, had finally returned. Two hours ago, their second wedding anniversary had passed. Jason obviously didn't remember a thing about it. Their gazes met for a split second. Then, they looked away from each other without saying anything. Jason strode into the bedroom, bringing with him the strong stench of liquor. Wendy frowned imperceptibly. She hated it when men got drunk. When Jason approached her and saw that the cot was empty, he asked, "Where's Danny?" Wendy didn't even look up. She said coldly, "Jane's taken him away." Silence descended upon the room again, but her grogginess had thoroughly disappeared. Jason stood there without saying a word. He merely tugged his tie loose with one hand while unbuttoning his shirt. He didn't intend to stare at Wendy, but her open shirt and glowing skin caught his attention. Jasmine drank her milk—the sound of her sucking was loud and clear. She looked like she was enjoying herself so much that it somehow made Jason feel hungry. He found himself wanting to try Wendy's milk to see whether it was really that good. When he realized what he was thinking, a wave of irritation washed over him. He cursed himself for his freakish thoughts before turning to head to the bathroom. The sound of him slamming the door shut didn't just make Wendy jump. It even made Jasmine shudder a little. Wendy glared in the direction of the bathroom, thinking that Jason was a lunatic; no one had done anything to offend him. Just then, her phone pinged, catching her attention. No one else would message her at this hour—it had to be spam. But when she grabbed her phone and checked it, she felt like she'd been slapped. "Jason had a bit too much to drink, so you need to make him some hangover soup. Otherwise, he'll have a headache tomorrow." The message was from Catherine Locke. Wendy stared at the screen for a long while, unable to stop herself from clenching her fist around her phone. Her knuckles turned white from the force. This was a blatant challenge and insult from her rival in love—Catherine was obviously telling her that Jason had been with her. And what was with that imperious tone? She made it seem like she was the lady of the household while Wendy was nothing but a maid. It took Wendy a while to calm down. She suppressed her annoyance and replied, "How about I give up my position as Mrs. Walker so you can take it?" Catherine didn't reply; Wendy's message had probably pissed her off royally. After all, Catherine was also a married woman. Wendy set her phone aside, looking stoic. Though she'd won the fight, she didn't feel good about it. Her husband had gone drinking with the woman he loved deeply on their second wedding anniversary, and they'd even stayed out so late. What had they talked about? Had Catherine's husband, Connor Gale, been with them? Had they been alone? A barrage of questions flooded her mind. Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Jason stood under the shower, allowing the hot water to pour over his toned body. It washed his fatigue and tipsiness away, but it also lit a small fire of desire within him. He shut his eyes and raised his head to allow the water to wash his face. He couldn't help thinking about the scene he'd just witnessed—Wendy was nothing but a scheming woman, but oddly enough, he'd detected a hint of motherly love in her when she'd been feeding Jasmine. A strangled curse escaped his lips. What had just possessed him? Jason's expression turned frosty. He turned the water temperature down. Soon, ice-cold water poured over him, making the irritation, frustration, and even desire in his eyes disappear. All that was left was indifference and aloofness. He deliberately took his time in the bathroom so that Wendy would already be in bed by the time he was done. But he'd underestimated the difficulty of breastfeeding two children in one go. When the bathroom door swung open, Wendy had just finished feeding Daniel. Jane had already taken Jasmine away so she could sleep. Wendy didn't even look at Jason. She held Daniel in her arms and turned to place him on the bed beside her. As Jason approached the bed, she could feel the iciness he exuded and the dominance in his demeanor. As the bed sank under his weight, her heart trembled. Though they'd already been married for two years, the number of times they'd interacted in private could be counted on one hand. She'd always been this cautious and tentative when they were alone. It was all because there weren't any feelings between them to set the foundation for their marriage. Besides, their families weren't of equal standing. The only reason Wendy had been able to marry Jason was because of their respective grandfathers' friendship. Decades ago, Jason's grandfather, Albert Walker, and Wendy's grandfather, George Maxon, had fought in the same war. George had risked his life to save Albert, losing a leg in the process. After leaving the army, the two men lost contact with each other. They'd only been reunited a few years ago when George had been admitted to the hospital due to a serious condition. Albert had tracked him down from there. It was too bad the reunion had been short. George had died a few days later. Albert had been overcome with guilt. He felt that if he'd managed to track George down earlier, he would've had more time to repay George for saving his life. This guilt had transformed into affection and fondness for Wendy. From that day on, Albert had treated Wendy like she was his own. Unfortunately, Albert had been diagnosed with stomach cancer two years ago. Knowing that he hadn't had long to live, he wished to find Wendy a good husband before his death. He hadn't wanted Wendy to end up marrying someone he didn't know, so he'd done his best to set Jason and Wendy up. He'd hoped they would end up together. And that was how Jason and Wendy had ended up marrying. It was too bad Jason was in love with another woman. Besides, Wendy knew she wasn't worthy of him. Their original plan had been to get a divorce after Albert passed away, but they'd accidentally slept together—Wendy had even ended up giving birth to twins. It wouldn't be as easy to get a divorce anymore. No one knew where the marriage would go from there. Wendy had prepared herself for the chance that Jason would ask for a divorce whenever he came home. It left her uneasy. But in truth, he couldn't even be bothered to talk to her. That was how things went on that night. Though they were sleeping in the same bed, the iciness in the atmosphere was enough to make the temperature in the room drop. Amidst the smothering silence, Wendy slowly stopped patting Daniel when she was sure he was asleep. She'd wet her underwear earlier when breastfeeding, so she reached out to get some tissues. At the same time, she turned off the lamp. Jason, who was still feeling the effects of the liquor he'd had, had already fallen asleep. He lay on his back with his eyes shut; his breathing was deep and slow. Wendy glanced at him as she sat on the bed. When she saw that he was already asleep, she quietly dealt with her damp pajama top. When she was almost done, Jason's displeased voice suddenly rang out, "What are you still doing? Go to bed!" It made her jump. She turned and said, "I'm almost done." Daniel was sleeping on her other side. Afraid of squishing him, she instinctively scooted closer to Jason as she lay down. But as she reached out behind her before lying down, her hand landed on his arm. He hissed, making her jolt. "Sorry, I didn't do it on purpose. You—" Jason was pissed. "Do you have to glue yourself to me when the bed's so huge?" Wendy was scared by his sudden anger, but she quickly composed herself and explained, "I was just afraid of squishing Danny. Since you're so repulsed by me, you can always go to another room." She wasn't wrong. They didn't have feelings for each other, so why did they have to sleep in the same bed? There were plenty of rooms in the house—he could sleep wherever he wanted. Jason's intense displeasure was apparent even in the dark. "What right do you have to kick me out, Wendy? Do you think there's no threatening your position as the lady of the Walker household now that you've given birth to twins?" "That's not what I meant." "What did you mean, then?" It was almost 3:00 am, and Wendy was exhausted from waking up a few times to feed the kids. She didn't want to argue with Jason, so she fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "Let's divorce, Jason." Chapter 2 A smothering silence descended upon the room as soon as the words were out of Wendy's mouth. Jason turned to look at her. His tone was colder than before as he said, "It's the middle of the night. Have you lost your mind?" "I'm being serious," Wendy said calmly. She couldn't stop thinking about how he and Catherine had been together until the wee hours of the night. She also thought about how Catherine had tried to provoke her. What was the point of staying in a marriage like this? "Don't worry about telling Granddad about this. I'll speak to him and tell him I'm the one who wants the divorce. You're not at fault in this." Wendy's tone remained calm. She lifted the sheets to get out of bed. "I'll sleep somewhere else tonight. I don't want to disrupt your sleep." She'd just gotten out of bed when Jason dragged her back and pinned her down. She yelped, feeling dazed from the impact. When she focused on Jason, she saw him hovering above her, looking furious. She lost her cool; her heart raced. "What are you doing, Jason? Danny's right there!" She was afraid he would use his drunkenness as an excuse to do something crazy, hurting Daniel in the process. Jason said coldly, "A divorce? You've already had the twins—don't you want to use them to solidify your position in the Walker family? It'd be such a waste to get a divorce now." "I want no such thing! The conception was an accident, and you were the one who made it happen. What right do you have to push this on me?" Wendy snarled. "An accident? You could've done so many things to prevent the conception." "I already told you that I took the morning-after pill!" "Ha!" Jason snorted. He obviously still didn't believe her. He'd underestimated her in the past. That was why he'd fallen for her trap and given her the opportunity to tie him down with the kids. Wendy knew he didn't believe her. In fact, he was sure she'd lied to him and deliberately skipped out on taking the morning-after pill, leading to her getting conceived. To him, she'd done it all so she could get a steady foothold in the Walker family. She couldn't be bothered to defend herself anymore. Jason continued pinning her down amidst the silence. As his eyes got used to the darkness, he was finding it easier to see things. Beneath him, Wendy's eyes were burning with anger. They were so close that he could smell the fragrance she exuded. The scene of her breastfeeding popped into his mind again. The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward yet slightly amorous. If his memory served him correctly, it was their second wedding anniversary today. As a husband, it was only right for him to exercise his right and fulfill his duty. Wendy noticed something was wrong with Jason. She turned to look at him, wanting to say something when he leaned down, enveloping her with his pheromones. She widened her eyes in fear, finding it hard to believe that he was suddenly leaning down for a kiss when he'd been furious just seconds ago. Jason kissed her, but she didn't respond. She merely lay there like a puppet without moving. Those lips of hers had been quick to part when arguing with him earlier, but now, they were sealed. He lost his patience. When she didn't respond after he'd kissed her for a few seconds, he moved his lips downward to kiss her neck and collarbone. The closer he got to her, the stronger the fragrance became. The drunkenness that his earlier shower had washed away seemed to numb his mind again—in this moment, Jason's rationality disappeared as he gave in to his body's hunger and desire. Wendy returned to her senses. The sensation of the cool air grazing against her bare skin made her heart tremble. She stammered, "L-Look closely at me, Jason. I'm W-Wendy Maxon, not Catherine L-Locke…" A sharp pain pierced her before she could get any further. She cried out and instinctively tried to fight back, but Jason pinned her arms down and kissed her again. "It's not your first time. Drop the act." In the darkness, tears trickled down the sides of Wendy's face. She wasn't putting on an act—it genuinely hurt. Yes, this wasn't their first time, but it was her first since giving birth. Now she knew what it felt like to have her body ripped in half. Jason tasted Wendy's tears when he kissed her again. He frowned. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he tensed as he waited for her to adjust to him. Then, when he started moving again, his actions were much gentler than before. … The next morning, Wendy was awoken by the pain in her breasts. It had been more than three months since she'd become a mother, so she was already used to this sudden pain. The first thing she did when she opened her eyes was to check on Daniel—she knew she'd feel better after breastfeeding him and Jasmine. Today, however, she didn't see him anywhere. Her mind went blank for a second. Then, she realized she'd messed up. She scrambled to sit up. Daniel had learned to turn on his side a few days ago—had he rolled off the bed and onto the floor? She shot over to the side of the bed, looking down at the floor. Fortunately, there weren't any babies on the floor. Then, her body's soreness caught up with her, turning her expression of panic into one of pain. Wendy supported her waist with one hand while propping herself up on the bed with the other. The memories of last night flooded her mind. She'd asked Jason for a divorce after being provoked by Catherine. It had pissed him off. He'd slept with her until the wee hours of the morning. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have been against their intimacy. After all, Jason was handsome and had incredible stamina. But he had been rough with her, and she didn't have much experience. Last night had been her first time having it after giving birth, and the intimate act became one of torture to her. Wendy had almost passed out by the time they were done. She hadn't even noticed Jason getting out of bed and Jane coming into the room to take Daniel away. She sat there dazedly as she recalled what had happened the night before. After her initial bout of anger, she couldn't help feeling shy and embarrassed. If her memory served her correctly, Jason had been gentle with her after she'd cried from the pain. He'd even given her time to get used to him. But he was such a cold, aloof person. He hadn't said a single nice thing to her since their marriage. Why would he suddenly be so nice to her? No, it was impossible. She had to have been hallucinating. She'd seen Jason's loving and gentle side before, but it hadn't been for her, his wife. He'd only acted like that with Catherine, the childhood sweetheart who'd gotten away. In fact, Wendy and Jason had only slept together because Catherine had married someone else. Jason had drunk himself silly because of how devastated he'd been. Then, he'd mistaken Wendy for Catherine. That was how they'd ended up sleeping together. And it was also because of this that she'd been kind enough to remind him who she was last night. It was too bad it hadn't done anything but piss him off even more. Maybe it was because he didn't think she had the right to even utter Catherine's name. Wendy was still in a reverie when someone knocked on the door, making her jolt. She instinctively curled up in bed again, pretending to be asleep. She thought it was Jason; she didn't know how to face him after what had happened last night. But Jane's voice was the one that rang out. "Mrs. Walker? Are you awake?" Wendy immediately opened her eyes and sat up, feeling a little awkward. "Jane… are Minnie and Danny awake?" "Yeah. I fed them around 5:00 am, but they're hungry again now," Jane said softly. Wendy nodded. "I'll go wash up right now." Jane left to tend to the children while Wendy hurried to the bathroom. But as soon as her feet touched the floor, the soreness in her body made her frown. She blushed again. Jason looked cold, but he was oddly enthusiastic and lustful when it came to sleeping. Wendy headed to the bathroom with her hands on her burning face, feeling like she'd been sullied. She needed some time to collect her thoughts. Half an hour later, she was done feeding the kids. Her stomach started growling. She headed downstairs to get some food. Upon exiting the elevator, she saw Jason in the dining room. Wendy's heart skipped a beat as her mind went blank. It was already 9:00 am. Why was Jason still at home? Chapter 3 It had taken Wendy some time to compose herself earlier. Now, the sight of Jason made her panic again. She didn't know how to face him after the events of the night before. When a maid saw her, she hurried forward with a smile. "I've already reheated breakfast, Mrs. Walker. Hurry up and have your meal." "Oh, uh… thanks." Wendy gulped and headed to the dining room. Jason bathed in the sunlight in his sharp suit—he was flawless. He seemed like a completely different person from the man who'd had his way with her last night. Wendy had to admit that Jason's face was one of the reasons she'd agreed to the marriage. She thought they would learn to love one another as time passed, that they would spend the rest of their lives together in harmony. Who would've known… It had been two years since then, yet he couldn't even be bothered to give her the respect she deserved. She sat down without saying a word and picked up her spoon to have her oatmeal. Though she didn't make a peep, she was still thinking about the divorce. Wendy had been serious. It'd be bad for the children, but she and Jason would only suffer if they were to remain in a marriage where they weren't on equal standing and had no feelings for each other. Even if they were to stay together for the children, it would affect the children's growth and personalities. When she was halfway through her oatmeal, she mustered the courage to look at Jason. "About what I said last night… You should seriously consider it. Don't worry—I won't take any of your money, and I'll leave the kids behind." She figured this was probably enough to show that she wasn't trying to pull any tricks. Jason had been drinking his hangover soup while reading a finance magazine. At Wendy's words, he set his bowl down, his eyes darkening as he looked at her icily. It made Wendy's scalp tingle. Her heart trembled, but she forced herself to stay strong. "Grandpa fainted and was admitted to the hospital this morning. Things aren't looking good. Do you want to put him on an express ride to the underworld by insisting on getting a divorce at this juncture?" "What?" Wendy's expression shifted, and she dropped her spoon. She looked worried as she asked, "Grandpa's been admitted? Is it… Is it because his condition's taken a turn for the worse?" Jason's expression turned uglier. "I don't know. We'll have to see what the doctor says once we get to the hospital." Wendy lost her appetite. She would've immediately left the table if not for the fact that she had to eat because she was breastfeeding. She picked up her bowl and gulped down the oatmeal in a few mouthfuls. Then, she grabbed two bagels. "Let's head to the hospital." Jason stared at her, his gaze appraising. His lips parted. He looked like he wanted to say something. He didn't believe for a second that she actually cared about Albert that much when she wasn't related to him at all. He bet it was because she was worried no one would stand up for her once Albert was gone. After all, Albert was the one who'd made them marry in the first place. Who knew what she was actually thinking despite her demands for a divorce? Maybe it was another trick of hers to lure him in. Maybe she was scheming something again. With that thought in mind, Jason's gaze turned contemptuous. He was starting to regret sleeping with Wendy—yet again. His expression turned complicated when he thought about last night. He quickly averted his gaze from her. If he were to spend another second looking at her, the amorous scenes of them in bed last night would fill his mind and mess with his rationality. A silent curse escaped his lips. Had Wendy placed him under a spell or something? … Jason and Wendy left the house together. Since the driver was taking them to the hospital, she had no choice but to get in the back seat with Jason. On the way to the hospital, he received two calls from work. He wasn't in a good mood, so he gave instructions curtly before hanging up. Wendy knew Jason was worried about Albert. She sneaked a few looks at him before mustering the courage to say, "Grandpa's earlier surgery was very successful, and the doctors said he'd make it through another four or five years if he took care of himself. It's only been two years, so I'm sure he'll be fine." Jason's brows were tightly furrowed. He slowly inhaled and was about to say something when his phone rang again. This time, his expression softened when he saw the caller ID. Then, he answered the phone, saying gently, "Hi, Cathy." A woman's sweet voice rang out on the other end of the line. She sounded worried and anxious as she said, "I heard about Grandpa Albert's condition suddenly taking a turn for the worse, Jace. Has he been taken to the hospital?" "Yeah." "How are things there?" "I'm still on the way to the hospital, so I don't know yet." "I'll head over there right now, too. Connor left for a business trip early this morning. He'll only be back tonight at the earliest." Connor was Catherine's husband and also one of Jason's childhood friends. The three of them had grown up together, so Catherine and Connor also thought of Albert as their grandfather. Jason said in a low voice, "There's no need to go to such trouble. Tell him to focus on his work." "Well, I've already informed him about this. It's up to him whether to return. Don't be too worried, okay? I'm sure Grandpa Albert will make it through this," Catherine said considerately. Jason lowered his gaze, looking much better than before. "Got it. It's raining. Tell your driver to drop you off. There's no need to rush." Wendy, who'd been sitting beside him silently the whole time, couldn't help feeling like something was eating away at her heart as she listened to him. Jason knew how to be gentle and considerate; but only to someone else's wife. When the call ended, silence descended upon them. Jason held his phone for a few seconds before realizing something. He turned to look at Wendy. He saw her looking out the window, her expression calm and collected. She obviously didn't care about his earlier phone call with Catherine. He swallowed the words that were at the tip of his tongue. Wendy had only married him because she had her eye on her status as his wife; she only wanted his money and power. Why would she care who he had in his heart? That was why there was no need for him to explain anything. … Jason and Wendy hurried to Albert's hospital room when they arrived. When Linda Jensen, Jason's mother, saw them, her gaze landed on him. She looked displeased as she asked, "Why are you only showing up now when I told you about this early this morning?" The Walker family was a big one—Jason had several uncles, aunts, and cousins. When the whole family gathered during holidays, they needed several tables to fit everyone. Times like this were critical moments for one to show their respect and concern for their elders. One would be reprimanded for showing up late. Jason glanced inside the hospital room through the window. He saw his father, Harris Walker, uncle, Horace Walker, and cousin, John Walker, speaking to the doctor. Before heading inside, he hastily said to Linda, "I got caught up in something." Wendy followed him, feeling confused. He hadn't gone to the office that morning—what was there to hold him back? Just as she pondered this, the answer came to her. Had it been because she'd woken up late? Had he been waiting for her? But Jason had never been so considerate toward her. Jason entered the hospital room; Linda turned to look at Wendy. The latter sensed this and stopped, greeting Linda politely, "Mom." Linda didn't look too happy to see her. "It's a woman's duty to care for the children. Since you have a nanny and all those maids to help you out, you shouldn't hold Jason up with those trivial matters." Obviously, Linda was blaming Jason's tardiness on Wendy. Wendy wanted to refute her but changed her mind since they were surrounded by members of the Walker family. She said in a low voice, "I'm heading inside to see how Grandpa's doing." Linda stopped her and snapped, "What's there to look at? Albert's just fallen asleep. Can't you see we're all out here?" Chapter 4 Wendy peered into the hospital room and noted there weren't any women inside. She knew it would be inappropriate for her to head inside, so she pursed her lips and waited in a corner. Behind her, hasty footsteps rang out; the sound of high heels clicking against the floor filled the corridor. Wendy didn't even need to look to know who it was. Catherine's act of provoking her last night still made her stomach roil, so she ignored Catherine—not that Catherine wanted to say anything to her. "Linda, how's Grandpa Albert doing? I came right from my studio as soon as I heard." Catherine stopped before Linda, looking worried. Linda smiled affectionately at her. "His condition's been stabilized for now, but things aren't looking good. The doctor is talking to Harris and the others on the treatment plan now." Catherine wore a tailor-made dress, and her hair and makeup had been done to perfection. She looked like the epitome of a wealthy man's trophy wife. The other members of the Walker family nodded at her in greeting when they saw her. She returned their nods with smiles. Her expression became more worried at Linda's words. "I'll go see how Grandpa Albert's doing." "Wait—" Linda wanted to stop her, but it was too late. Catherine had already gone into the hospital room. Albert lay on the hospital bed, looking fragile and haggard. Years of being sick had turned him into a ghost of his past self. When he saw a woman enter the room, he thought it was Wendy. He immediately turned to look at her. To his surprise, it was Catherine. "How are you, Grandpa Albert? Do you feel better now?" Catherine held his hand as tears streamed down her face. She became choked up as she spoke. Jason looked at her. They exchanged meaningful looks as their gazes met. Albert nodded and said slowly, "I'm fine. You guys don't need to worry." Jason grabbed a few tissues from the bedside table when he saw Catherine's tears. She accepted them and said, "Thanks, Jace." Albert looked at Jason, his favorite grandson. He held out a hand. "Jason…" "I'm right here, Grandpa." Jason bent down to hold Albert's hand. "Where… Where's Dede? Is she here?" Catherine's expression shifted as she pursed her lips. Albert only had Wendy in mind. Jason answered, "She is, Grandpa. She's outside." "Have her come in. I have something to say to her…" "Okay." Jason tucked Albert's hand under the sheets before heading to the door. Linda was surprised to see him come out. "What's wrong, Jace?" She saw him looking at Wendy. Then, he said, "Come in. Grandpa wants to see you." Wendy pointed at herself. "Me?" Jason's expression darkened. He looked like he couldn't stand her idiocy. Wendy was only sure she hadn't gotten the wrong idea when she saw the look on his face. She hurried forward. Jason held her hand, catching her off guard and making her heart clench. Before she could make heads or tails about it, they'd already stopped by Albert's bed. "I'm here, Grandpa," she said. Albert's expression softened when he saw Wendy. He smiled faintly and said, "It's been hard on you, sweetheart, caring for two kids at the same time. Look at you—you've lost weight. You must've missed out on a lot of sleep." As Wendy looked at him, she couldn't help being reminded of George when he was on his deathbed. Tears streamed down her face before she could say anything. Catherine stood on the other side of the bed. She frowned at the sight of Wendy's silent tears and said, "Why are you crying when Grandpa Albert's talking to you? He's perfectly fine, isn't he?" Wendy didn't respond. She didn't even bother looking at her. She quickly dried her tears and perked up as she smiled at Albert. "It hasn't been hard at all, Grandpa. We have a nanny and maids, and the kids are little angels. "They sleep immediately after eating, and they're ready to play once they wake up. It's not hard on me at all…" Albert smiled. "Oh, you silly thing. All mothers have it hard." He turned to look at Jason. His tone became sterner as he said, "You're a husband and a father now, Jason. You have to bear those responsibilities properly or you'll be a disgrace to us all." Jason's expression was aloof, but his attitude was respectful. "I understand, Grandpa. I won't forget." Then, he nudged Wendy almost imperceptibly with his fingers. The latter understood what he wanted and chimed in, "You need to stop worrying so that you can get better, Grandpa. Jace treats me well, and the kids are doing great. There's nothing to worry about." "That's good." Albert looked pleased. He turned to look at Catherine. "Catherine…" She didn't expect him to still remember she was around. She put on a bright smile and held his hand again. "I'm listening, Grandpa Albert." Albert stopped to catch his breath before saying in a low voice, "It's time for you and Connor… to have a child. Men will only truly settle down and be more responsible once they become fathers. It's the only way to keep your family together…" Both Jason and Catherine looked a little embarrassed at his words. Albert was obviously insinuating that they had to keep their distance from each other now that they were married and to focus on their respective families. They would only embroil themselves in trouble if they were to stick together. Catherine's face burned with humiliation, but she had to play silly. She smiled and said, "Don't worry, Grandpa Albert—Connor and I are already planning for that. Take care of yourself, okay? We need you to name our children for us." "That's good…" Albert nodded in satisfaction. Then, he waved a hand. "Go do what you need to do. There's no need to hang around here for long. I'm sleepy, so I'm gonna get some sleep." He shut his eyes as the people in the room backed out. Harris looked at the people waiting in the corridor and waved a hand, saying, "It's time to go. Dad's condition has stabilized for now, so everything's fine for the time being." Just then, Jason's phone rang. It was a call about work again. After hanging up, he looked at Wendy. "Come on, it's time to go." He turned to Catherine and said, "You should get back to work, too. Tell Connor there's no need for him to hurry back." She nodded. "Alright. I'll call him right now." Jason didn't bother turning back to look at Wendy. He strode off. Wendy hurried after him. She was going to ignore Catherine as she swept past her, but Catherine stopped her. "Don't get the wrong idea about what happened last night. It was a business function—there were plenty of people around." Wendy couldn't help sneering to herself. She wondered how Jason could've been blind enough to fall for such a scheming woman. She said coolly, "I didn't get the wrong idea. It's not a secret that he likes you. To him, you're the only woman worthy of being his wife." Catherine's proud, smug expression turned sorrowful. "Fate does funny things sometimes. I only think of Jason as a brother—Connor's the one I've always loved." "You should be telling him these things. Then again, it's exciting to see him so tormented, don't you think?" Wendy's heartlessness upset Catherine. Her expression changed again as she suppressed her anger. "You and him are married now, so you should treat him well. How can you hope to see him in pain?" Wendy met Catherine's gaze. "Are you done preaching, Mrs. Gale?" "Why, you!" Catherine clenched her fists in anger at Wendy's attitude. She tried to keep her anger at bay but couldn't. She spat, "As Jason's wife, you should pay some attention to your image. How do you expect him to fall for you when you look like trash? Even a single glance at you would be enough to make his stomach turn!" Chapter 5 Anyone would be furious to hear such humiliating words, but Wendy merely laughed them off. She retorted, "Jason's blind for not falling for me; what does that have to do with me? Look at how shrew-like and pissed you are now. You're the one who's a disgrace." "How dare you!" Catherine had been raised to be a perfect lady, so she couldn't think of anything to counter Wendy. As she watched Wendy walk off, she turned to hurry to Linda. She whined, "Honestly, what was Grandpa Albert thinking? Why did he have to force Jace to marry someone like her? It's practically an insult to the Walker family!" Linda didn't like Wendy any more than Catherine did, but she wasn't totally on Catherine's side. She said rather resentfully, "Jace only had eyes for you, but you were set on being with Connor. How is Jace any worse than him? "If you and Jace had gotten married, none of this would've happened. Albert wouldn't have forced Jace to marry Wendy." Catherine was rendered speechless. … Wendy had fallen behind. As soon as she entered the elevator, Jason called her. When she answered the call, he said icily, "What's taking you so long? I'm in a hurry to get to the office." She wasn't in a good mood but couldn't be bothered to waste her breath on him. She answered, "You can head straight to the company, then. There's no need to drop me off." "How are you gonna get home, then?" "I can take a cab, the subway, or a bus. It's not that hard for me to get home," she countered, feeling exasperated. She wasn't a baby or an idiot. How could she not find her way home? Jason didn't say anything else. He hung up. Wendy walked out of the elevator as she lowered her hand. When she got to the hospital's entrance, she saw Jason's car leaving the parking lot. To her surprise, she found that it didn't make her feel anything. She stopped and checked the time. It was 11:00 am. Since she gave birth to the twins, her life had revolved around them. She didn't have a job, a social life, or even any friends in this city. Wendy thought about walking around for a while, but she pushed the thought out of her mind as she walked down the steps. She decided to abandon her plan and simply head home. Wendy was turning to head to the subway station when her phone rang. Her expression turned into one of joy when she saw the caller ID. She hurriedly answered the call. "Hills! Why the sudden call?" The call was from her high school friend and best girlfriend, Hillary York." Hillary said, "I'm in Cornchester for a business trip, so I thought about dropping by to visit you now that you're rich. Remember how we promised not to forget about each other once we made it big? I bet you've forgotten all about me now that you've become a rich man's wife!" Wendy laughed. "Stop that! You're the last person I'd forget. Where are you? I'll treat you to a meal." "That'd be great! I want the most lavish meal you can think of." "Sure!" After hanging up, Wendy gave the matter some thought. A pretty good restaurant came to mind, so she searched for the location and sent it to Hillary. An hour later, the two young ladies, who'd been apart for about half a year, hugged each other excitedly. After taking their seats, Hillary observed Wendy and teased, "Look at what a low profile you're keeping. You're the wife of a man who's worth billions, yet you're dressing just like us plebeians." Wendy felt a little embarrassed. She explained, "I've gained some weight after giving birth. I don't look good in anything." "Rubbish! You were too skinny in the past—you were like a piece of cardboard! You look great the way you are now." Hillary leaned closer and said conspiratorially, "Women need to be on the plump side to make men go crazy over them." For some reason, Wendy blushed. She pushed the menu over to Hillary to cut the conversation short. "Here, take a look and see what you'll have." They ordered and chit-chatted as they ate. As they caught up, Wendy found out that Hillary's husband had been promoted and was about to take up a position in Cornchester—that meant their family of three would be moving to the city. Hillary was in town for a business meeting, but she was also taking the opportunity to check out some houses. She'd already found the right place to rent, so all that was left was for them to move over. "That's great! I'll have a friend here in the future!" Wendy was delighted. Hillary said, "I know, right? I thought it was such a coincidence too when I remembered you were here." They lost track of time as they continued chatting. Later, Wendy had no choice but to head home when Jane called to say the children were starting to fuss. She called for a waiter to settle the bill. She handed him a Centurion card. Hillary teased, "Would you look at that? Now that's what I would expect the wife of a wealthy man to do." Wendy sighed. "I'd prefer to get a job. I want to earn my keep so I can be independent." Jason had given her this card and told her there wasn't a limit to it, but she felt like she couldn't use it with her head held high. She wanted to have a career and feel like she was doing something with her life. She wanted to lead a life that was more than this. Hillary could understand what she meant—it wasn't easy being a part of an affluent family. She said comfortingly, "I'm sure you can do it once the kids are a little older." The waiter returned with Wendy's card. After that, she bid Hillary farewell before hurrying home. … Jason had just finished a meeting when he saw a message on his phone. It was from his bank. He frowned slightly. The message informed him that someone had swiped his card at a restaurant. He'd given the card to Wendy when they'd first gotten married, but he could count on one hand the number of times she'd used it over the past two years. What had happened today to make her use it again? Who had she had a meal with? The out-of-the-ordinary act confused Jason. He couldn't help linking it to Wendy asking for a divorce. Had she sought out a lawyer for their professional opinion? Or had she met up with a friend to ask for ideas? His mind turned into a mess as he thought of Wendy. He didn't know what she was trying to achieve by asking for a divorce. Two years ago, when they'd first gotten married, they'd come to an agreement. Once Albert passed away, they would divorce, and he would give her the appropriate monetary compensation as thanks for cooperating with him. At the time, it hadn't even crossed their mind to try being an actual couple, let alone having kids together. But a year ago, when Catherine and Connor had gotten married, Jason had been Connor's best man. After all, the three of them had grown up together. It was apparent how he would've felt, watching the woman he'd loved for years marry someone else. That night, he'd drank himself silly. Wendy had cared for him that night, and he'd mistaken her for Catherine. They'd accidentally slept. He'd apologized to her afterward and had reminded her multiple times to take the morning-after pill. But two months later, she'd told him she was expecting. Several things had happened after that. The memory of them was enough to piss Jason off. Who would've expected him to fall for a seemingly innocent woman's trap when he'd always been the smartest person in the room? Just then, his phone rang, pulling him out of his reverie. Jason composed himself when he saw the caller ID. Some of the iciness in his eyes melted. "Hi, Cathy." Catherine said bluntly, "I heard Wendy's asking for a divorce." Jason's expression darkened. "Who did you hear it from?" "Linda told me," she explained. "She went to Imperial Bay to see the children after leaving the hospital this morning and overheard the maids talking about it. They said you ignored Wendy when she asked for a divorce earlier in the morning." Jason frowned, looking grim. He massaged his eyes with one hand, propping the other up on the armrest of his seat. It looked like he had to teach the maids a lesson—it was taboo for them to gossip about their employers' private affairs. Chapter 6 When Jason remained silent, Catherine realized she had hit the mark. "Is she out of her mind? The twins are barely three months old and still need constant care. How can she even think of divorce? Even if she doesn't care about Grandpa, does she not care for her own children?" she asked in bewilderment. It was a fact known that Wendy had been orphaned and raised by George, who unfortunately passed away a few years prior. Catherine sincerely doubted Wendy could manage her two children alone if they divorced. "Linda mentioned she wasn't home this afternoon. The children are crying from hunger, and she still hasn't returned. I've told you, that woman isn't as innocent as she appears. Grandpa Albert was so eager to repay the kindness that he misplaced his trust," Catherine added with frustration. Jason snapped back irritably at her complaints, "There's milk powder in the kitchen and frozen breast milk in the fridge. The kids won't starve. Besides, she's already a grown woman. She's entitled to take breaks sometimes." Catherine was stunned by his response. "Why did you—" She was about to question Jason's defense of Wendy but stopped herself. Wendy was Jason's legitimate wife and the mother of his children; it was only natural for him to stand up for her. Recalling Wendy's words from the hospital earlier, Catherine felt a wave of shame and guilt wash over her. "I-I'm so sorry, Jace. It's all my fault," Catherine murmured regretfully. Though surprised by her sudden apology, Jason replied calmly, "There's nothing to apologize for. Don't dwell on it. If there's nothing else, I'm going back to work." Once Catherine agreed, Jason swiftly ended the call. He then dialed the landline to Imperial Bay and instructed the butler, Tobias Howard, to deal with the gossiping maids. Meanwhile, Catherine stared at her phone in a daze as a sudden sorrow crept into her heart. She used to be the one to end calls with Jason first, but now the tables had turned. Not to mention he had spoken up for Wendy, though he seemed oblivious to it. Would a man's attitude toward his wife change after having a child? If so, perhaps she should heed Albert's advice and give Connor a child. When Wendy returned home to feed her children, she heard a loud commotion downstairs. Curious, she beckoned Jane over and was surprised to learn that Tobias was dismissing two maids. "Why let them go? I thought they were doing fine?" Wendy asked, unaware of the afternoon's incident. As Jane worried that she would suffer a similar fate, she cautiously replied, "Those two said some things they shouldn't have and offended Madam Linda." Upon learning that Linda had come over to visit, Wendy heaved a sigh of relief. She realized that their meeting would've been tense if she had been home. Though surprised by the uproar caused by Linda's visit, Wendy refrained from commenting further, knowing she had no authority to interfere in household matters. She was just an honorary lady of the house. After an afternoon nap, Wendy grabbed a laptop and started browsing job listings. Despite her desire for a divorce, she had to keep it a secret due to Albert's declining health. That said, she still needed to make plans for her life after the divorce. At that moment, the children stirred from their slumber and started crying. In her haste to tend to them, Wendy left the laptop running. That evening, Jason returned home from work and headed upstairs for a quick shower before attending to his children. As he set his watch on the table, he accidentally nudged the mouse beside Wendy's laptop. The screen instantly lit up, catching Jason's attention. As Jason read through the search history, his lips curled up into a cold smirk. It seemed Wendy truly desired a divorce, but Jason couldn't fathom her reasons. She lived a privileged life, and they had twins together. What could she possibly be dissatisfied with to the extent of seeking a divorce? At that point, Jason couldn't help but agree with Catherine's earlier assertions about Wendy. On the other hand, Wendy couldn't shake off her unease since the moment Jason had entered the house. She wondered if Catherine and Linda had confided their grievances with him. While such issues might be resolved in a typical marriage, theirs was anything but typical. Throughout dinner, an awkward silence hung between Jason and Wendy, broken only by the quiet clinking of utensils. Despite the discomfort, Wendy couldn't help but marvel at her own appetite. She only set her fork aside when she had eaten her fill. Seeing Jason's swift departure from the table, Wendy sensed he was aware of the morning's incident. However, he chose not to broach the topic in public. Wendy concurred, understanding the potential repercussions of discussing such matters at the dining table. Night descended, and after settling the children to sleep, Wendy retreated to her own bed. Just then, Hillary messaged her about the residential rental properties they had visited earlier that day. Wendy wasn't sure how to respond. Despite living in Cornchester for over two years, her outings had been rare, particularly considering that ten of those months were devoted to conception and she had only recently given birth three months ago. As the two reminisced about old times, Wendy couldn't help but laugh genuinely. She implored Hilary to hasten her move to Cornchester for companionship. Jason stumbled upon the scene and was stunned by her beaming smile. In their two years of marriage, he had never witnessed such genuine happiness on her face before. His mind raced with questions. Who was Wendy chatting with so animatedly late at night? Was it someone she loved? Was that why she insisted on a divorce—to pursue her true love? At that moment, Wendy caught Jason's gaze, and her smile faltered. She quickly sent a message to Hillary about retiring for the night. "I'm turning in now. I'll need to breastfeed the kids later. You should get some rest too," she texted. Hillary responded playfully with a teasing emoticon. "Is your husband giving you a nudge? Alright then, we'll catch up tomorrow." Wendy couldn't help but blush at the message. Still, she calmly lay on the bed and turned to her side. Seeing her reaction, Jason became increasingly convinced that Wendy was being unfaithful. It suddenly dawned on him why she was adamant about seeking a divorce despite living in luxury. Even though they didn't have feelings for each other, they remained legally bound as a couple. The mere thought of Wendy potentially abandoning their children for another man ignited a fiery anger within Jason. Unaware of his tumultuous thoughts, Wendy set her phone aside and attempted to sleep. Sensing the mattress shifting under Jason's weight, she hesitated briefly before gently suggesting, "Shouldn't you be sleeping in the other room?" Chapter 7 Jason was about to slip under the blankets when Wendy's words stopped him in his tracks. He shot her a cold glance. "Why would I sleep in another room?" "Oh, don't get me wrong. I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I can go to the guest room instead," Wendy suggested kindly, feeling a pang of sympathy for Jason. After all, he had been compelled to marry a stranger while his sweetheart married his best friend. With that, Wendy rose from the bed and prepared to leave. However, Jason's question stopped her in her tracks. "Who is that man? How do you know him?" Surprised by his inquiry, Wendy replied, "Excuse me? Who might you be referring to?" Jason smirked. "Why the look of surprise? Didn't you insist on a divorce and suggest sleeping separately because you have someone else in mind?" Wendy widened her eyes in disbelief. After a moment's hesitation, she countered, "I sought a divorce because of your relationship with Catherine." "Catherine is married. She has no connection to me," Jason retorted sharply, but Wendy snickered at his denial. "Oh, really? Your expression around her suggests otherwise. Do you dare claim innocence?" she retorted, her tone filled with disdain. Jason was taken aback by Wendy's sudden boldness as she turned to meet his gaze head-on. "I hoped to free you from this unhappy marriage. But instead of showing gratitude, you slander me!" Wendy added. She was typically cautious and meek in their arguments, but her tongue would turn sharp when provoked. Jason recognized this trait in her. Despite her gentle appearance, Wendy possessed a bold and rational side; she was unafraid to speak her mind. In contrast to her delicate exterior, he found himself intrigued by her true personality – lively, intelligent, brave, and even a touch fiery. For the first time, Jason truly took notice of Wendy. She had a pretty face and delicate features. Unlike the typical pretty faces he encountered, her beauty was akin to fine wine—growing more alluring with time. Jason recalled the first time he met Wendy; she looked rather miserable due to her poor living conditions. After living comfortably for a few years, her sun-kissed skin had turned fair, and there was a new air about her. Even without makeup, her beauty was stunning. In truth, Jason was willing to spend the rest of his life with Wendy for the sake of their children if she weren't the cunning and scheming woman he believed. But before he could convince himself to accept her, Wendy had proposed a divorce. It was as if she was eager to get out of the unbearable life. She was such an ungrateful woman! Upon sensing Jason's unusual gaze, Wendy couldn't help but feel unsettled. "W-What are you staring at?" Snapping back to reality, Jason frowned as he pulled the covers over himself and settled into bed. "Nothing. I doubt you'd be so considerate for my sake. I fear this is just another one of your traps." Enraged by his accusation, Wendy decided to set things straight. "Watch your mouth! I've never set a trap for you. Don't accuse me without evidence." Jason secretly relished Wendy's fury, though he concealed his satisfaction well. As he slowly lay down, Jason replied, "You've been carrying the evidence every day in your arms. Is there any need for excuses?" Wendy seethed with anger, knowing he was referring to their children. Sitting upright, she raised her right hand and declared sternly, "I swear on my life that I took the morning-after pill that day, Mr. Walker. If I'm lying, may the Grim Reaper come and claim me!" Jason retorted dismissively, "If oaths meant anything, the poor guy would never have a moment's rest." His words only left Wendy speechless with anger. Undeterred, Jason continued, "Why not just admit your mistake? I'm ready to accept whatever comes. I'm at the age to be a father anyway. It's just frustrating that you won't admit—" "Why should I confess to something I didn't do? No birth control method is foolproof, as the doctor has confirmed. I'm just an exception!" Wendy interjected. Jason turned to face her, feeling intrigued by her fiery response. Sitting up, he leaned against the headrest and voiced his doubts. "The doctor advised against carrying the baby after you took the pill, as it could lead to birth defects. Yet, you chose to proceed with the conception. "This implies you never took the pill at all. Otherwise, why would you risk delivering children who might be born with defects?" Taking a deep breath, Wendy shot Jason a glare. "I did consider losing the baby upon discovering I was expecting. I know it's harsh, but it seemed the safest option. But when the doctor revealed I was carrying twins, it changed everything. Two new lives! How could a mother bring herself to lose them? "I decided to take the risk, relying on advanced medical technology. If the fetuses showed any abnormalities during check-ups, I would have undergone labor induction. Of course, I hoped for healthy children. And thankfully, my decision was vindicated." Before Jason could retort, Wendy added, "And let's not forget, you're the one who's at fault here. Why should I bear the consequences of your actions? Do you realize the risks of the surgery? What if something goes wrong and I can never conceive again? "I'm glad that I stood my ground back then, seeing that I've accomplished the most important piece of my life. Even if you slander me or hurl accusations, I stand by my decisions!" With that declaration, Wendy stormed off the bed in a fit of anger. "I suggest we keep our distance for now. Your infuriating words might just sour my milk!" As Wendy made her way past the bed, she recalled something and turned back to face Jason. "Oh, by the way, I didn't take the morning-after pill this time. It's harmful to the body, especially while breastfeeding. I can't risk endangering the children." Her words triggered a sudden realization in Jason, and he asked sheepishly, "Um, you... probably won't get conceived again this time, right?"	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1,524,794	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-04-27 19:13	active	614	997675991664599	2024 2nd Annual FLX Home Show	Design trends so hot, they'll make your pinterest board blush!<br /> <br /> #homedesignideas #flxhomeshow #DreamsIntoReality	LEARN_MORE	http://www.flxhomeshow.com/	113789611679851	FLX Home Show	https://facebook.com/flxhomeshow	143	1	788,649,039,585,388	2024-04-27 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	FLX Home Show	6569164132555	www.flxhomeshow.com	NONE	video		http://www.flxhomeshow.com/	{"type":"VISUAL_EDITOR","version":2,"landing_screen_type":"welcome_message","media_type":"text","text_format":{"customer_action_type":"ice_breakers","message":{"ice_breakers":[{"title":"I'm interested. Can you tell me more?","response":""},{"title":"What are your hours?","response":""},{"title":"Where are you located?","response":""}],"text":"Hi {{user_first_name}}! Please let us know how we can help you."}},"user_edit":false,"autofill_message_edited":false,"ice_breakers_edited":false,"welcome_message_edited":false,"surface":"boosted_post"}	2024-04-27 15:08	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/422590769_793729172336484_4368927092854679637_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=He8tz5A45CoAb52aaeG&_nc_oc=AdgmpImu85Zq_vida_Aqtm3mMhY_-JHxDwgPlPO0pHFwyM9YiVNyDImMtVOP3W9wsZsdEjhKnSTbWWsIy41mov5c&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfBRYLdESLoXc3SHHFLBNYnOoyUaEMPsymVZ6VOjuOGtBw&oe=66337BA4	person_profile	0	FLX Home Show	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439070089_471378265417824_3712360059343918401_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=UGp8oNsgluIAb4RQ2mY&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDb3bhdEcO8Bh6K1C_Xhqlr28bBm0cX8tUBJK0hTpW3bw&oe=663369FD	3	FLX Home Show	2024-04-27 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,525,173	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1535020}'	No	2024-04-27 19:14	active	614	642238651421421	GRASSFED BEEF GIVEAWAY!	GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! Have you experienced the grass-fed beef difference? This is the perfect opportunity to give our lean, clean grass-fed beef a try! To be entered to win, register here: dryforkcreekfarmsllc.com/pages/giveaway *Note: Giveaway closes July 31st at 11:59 p.m.	LEARN_MORE	https://dryforkcreekfarmsllc.com/pages/giveaway?ut	105994418623154	Dry Fork Creek Farms, LLC	https://facebook.com/DryForkCreekFarmsLLC	1,024	2	443,920,868,231,042	2024-04-27 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn More	Dry Fork Creek Farms, LLC	120208430753880476	dryforkcreekfarmsllc.com	NONE	dco	Grass-Fed Pasture Raised Beef & Pasture Raised Pork Dry Fork Creek Farms provides healthy wholesome food by utilizing modern practices along with traditional methods to benefit those who are concerned for the health of their family and to preserve the ways of the past.	https://dryforkcreekfarmsllc.com/pages/giveaway?utm_source=Facebook_Paid&utm_medium=Facebook_Feed&utm_campaign=Givaway&utm_content=2		2024-04-27 12:10	https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440764266_810968241089084_7898549333618872683_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=eZJtVkrrB0YAb5M-s-F&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=00_AfAYronwrz8du9JwbxqrMya34fq4nqGqv4SDJ70EvACl6A&oe=663370F6	person_profile	0	Dry Fork Creek Farms, LLC	https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438832975_7310860775633730_3072279112412824259_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=VXGbsA-1PTYAb46pe_1&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=00_AfAjyLfIrBNM19JKUvHg7q2byH0kQShQj1-CvxNLByA2Fw&oe=663362EF	3	Dry Fork Creek Farms, LLC	2024-04-27 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,580,284	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1579913}'	Yes	2024-04-28 17:17	active	632	250396054766052	Maratona Adeus, Dor Cônica - Online e Gratuito	Viver sem dor é possível!<br /> <br /> Participe da Maratona Adeus, Dor Crônica nos dias 13 a 16 de maio (100% online gratuito).<br /> <br /> Vou te provar em 4 dias como é possível ter um 2024 livre das dores e das limitações usando técnicas simples e naturais.<br /> <br /> Para participar, é só apertar o botão SAIBA MAIS e se inscrever sem custo	LEARN_MORE	https://kellylemos.com.br/liberte-0524-maratona?ut	102949209417096	Kelly Lemos	https://facebook.com/KellyLemosKL	3,325	1	1,846,956,025,803,356	2024-04-24 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	Kelly Lemos	120208006467520239	kellylemos.com.br	NONE	image	Descubra como se libertar das dores no corpo de uma vida cheia de limitações.	https://kellylemos.com.br/liberte-0524-maratona?utm_source=meta-ads&utm_medium={{adset.id}}&utm_campaign={{campaign.id}}&utm_content={{ad.id}}&utm_marketing_tatic=warm&utm_creative_format={{placement}}&utm_source_plataform=v1		2024-04-24 10:06	https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439887029_982117913557191_2892409945043077315_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=R3ZD4IUG46gAb4ckxtp&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&oh=00_AfD_VyuqfE3BuuPoJcID2Rpw4l0hEaBZDmSBoTA-oe_9vw&oe=66349D39	person_profile	0	Kelly Lemos \| Especialista em dor	https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439941281_768667718737240_634770617561893386_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=SaboD7SudMIAb764UM2&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&oh=00_AfAnBHB9NTxSIgH4eh71OCgvhGUHKDX0S68YkSedT52sew&oe=6634B550	3	Kelly Lemos	2024-04-24 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,574,534	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1574530}'	No	2024-04-28 15:19	active	630	967486118209445	We Offer A Faster Path To Debt Freedom	Free yourself from the burden of debt. Programs offered can help you live a debt-free life sooner than you think.<br /> <br /> -Free, no-obligation consultation to assess your financial situation.<br /> -Reduce monthly credit card payments with strategic debt consolidation.<br /> -Expert negotiations to lower your interest rates.<br /> -Potential elimination of late fees and penalties.<br /> -Simplify your finances with one manageable monthly payment.<br /> -Proven strategies to cut credit card debt significantly.<br /> -Tailored plans that fit your budget and financial goals.<br /> -Quick and confidential service to protect your financial information.<br /> -Guidance on preventing future debt accumulation.<br /> <br /> Give Us A Call Today or Visit Us At <br /> <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedebtenrollmentcenter.com%2Ffb%2Fpa&h=AT3QWtKsKEKKPvBFCGTwnREp-YAtXdmZ0UQOfRcVeJytiPcvi6mWCneN137ud2f8ztzulSj9weooDr8ZakQQczx8e3azFoJFtHWBlngVvB8fwEM_vBrQ11nH4DL_6crc5dzLBuUxLL74FD_40nRZRrFzS6SssMpnCGeH7kiLGno" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">www.thedebtenrollmentcenter.com/fb/pa</a>	LEARN_MORE	http://thedebtenrollmentcenter.com/fb/pa	254865991050449	The Debt Enrollment Center	https://facebook.com/61557916957768	0	1	1,236,439,077,742,390	2024-04-28 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	The Debt Enrollment Center	120207266068340272	thedebtenrollmentcenter.com	NONE	image	Speak with one of qualified professionals to help get your blueprint to financial freedom	http://thedebtenrollmentcenter.com/fb/pa		2024-04-27 23:35	https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438085736_2762630770559662_5088349029505362299_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=tkD4TPVnjEQQ7kNvgGIJ7ft&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=00_AfBzjKCGRLe_2j1qZU_P3lc7IJOWUafuJTQdNxA6bdn9tA&oe=66347E9E	person_profile	0	The Debt Enrollment Center	https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438097223_1118073226057888_642692106159214605_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=iZ0QE5qJHqUQ7kNvgEdaL5c&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=00_AfChDbIbyc3GnKSs3eKtQG_cRwttrrmA9CMIWedqWVjqDQ&oe=663471CA	3	The Debt Enrollment Center	2024-04-28 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,583,821	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-04-28 18:59	active	633	789624966452237	Clearance Sale \| Limited Stock \| Free Shipping \| Free Returns 🚀	A Weed-Free Garden IS Possible - Just Installing Woven Weed Barrier 👉 Clearance SALE - Get an Extra Discount of 5% OFF, Use code: FBOFF!!! ✅	SHOP_NOW	https://www.vevor.com/landscape-fabric-c_10185?utm	273170413401657	VEVOR-STORE	https://facebook.com/vevor.official	110,097	1	962,391,125,338,503	2024-04-28 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Shop now	VEVOR Home Improvement	120207540949730665	vevor.com	NONE	image	Say goodbye to the weeds when entering your garden. Multiple varieties of landscape fabric at VEVOR is the right product you need. Shop it now from the store!	https://www.vevor.com/landscape-fabric-c_10185?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid.cpc&utm_campaign=Yiliapic0429-1-1-2-weed-测款流程-四月偏差率高sku&utm_term=Yiliapic0429-1-1-2-weed-测款流程-四月偏差率高sku&placement={{placement}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}		2024-04-24 02:26	https://scontent.fosu2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440333098_1100303437848064_8282461560724721149_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=dA9E-QiHl-kQ7kNvgEUpyii&_nc_ht=scontent.fosu2-2.fna&oh=00_AfAFUGxMvfxtgp3oA4mZ5Pf6Hv0oQBegGAHZ1vpT1l-0AQ&oe=6634B42E	person_profile	0	VEVOR Home Improvement	https://scontent.fosu2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440173427_1638787250206768_1078471532536261661_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Qx_RI589oJYQ7kNvgEZDcJV&_nc_ht=scontent.fosu2-2.fna&oh=00_AfCAItpwupTG5jxFb7bNbMpfgdi7ULT9HFXTb07UZg0icg&oe=6634C99E	3	VEVOR Home Improvement	2024-04-28 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,580,906	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1580859}'	No	2024-04-28 17:21	active	632	739451588393886	Read More Exciting Content👉	Calvin is my boyfriend, and we have been together for many years. Although other people in the pack often bully me, if Calvin is around, I can persevere. On that day, Calvin's birthday, I found out that he had an affair with my sister, and I decided to leave the pack. Just as I was about to leave, Alpha King came to our pack, and he captured everyone.<br /> "You want her? She's a human!"<br /> The king released a roar that made every member of the pack flinch and drop their heads lower in submission. With my face only a few inches from the ground, I watched with terror as the king moved away from me and stood before my biggest bully Kate. <br /> The greater distance between us allowed me to see more of him. He was larger than the other Lycans, his body covered in knotted scars that were visible beneath his fur.<br /> His claw was the size of Kate's head as he punched it through her ch#st, ripping her heart out the other side and sending the pack into a flurry of sobs and terrified mumblings for mercy.<br /> "You will do well to teach your pack to respect those above them." The witch's voice called out again, but I was trapped staring at Kate's body as the king pulled his hand out, and it fell to the ground.<br /> I was aware of him walking back to me, but I couldn’t take my eyes away. It was the large hand that grabbed me by my backpack and lifted me off the ground like a doll that brought me back to reality, and I instinctively met the glowing red eyes of the Lycan King.<br /> His deep voice sent a chill through me as he spoke, "Mine."<br /> ---<br /> Janet's P.O.V.<br /> <br /> I felt uneasy as soon as I entered the pack house. The way my pack mates were smirking at me, laughing behind their hands... I knew they were up to something. Their pranks and bullying had been getting worse and more painful each time they managed to get me alone. My bruises still hadn't gone away from the last time.<br /> <br /> My body ached from the beating I had taken two days ago, but I was only a few hours away from it all ending.<br /> <br /> I just needed to get to Calvin before they set their plan into motion.<br /> <br /> Calvin was my boyfriend of four years. He was the only one that cared for me, and the only one I could trust.<br /> <br /> We were high school sweethearts. He was also the next in line to become the Alpha of our pack. That didn't matter to me, but it did matter to the other women in the pack. They hated that he was with me. They felt that they deserved a stronger Luna than I would be, and they all wanted to be his chosen one.<br /> <br /> I hadn't even shifted yet. To them, I was no more than an omega...a runt as they liked to call me, the weakest of the litter.<br /> <br /> It should have happened three years ago when I turned sixteen, but it didn't. Now I was nineteen, the age at which we could recognize our mates as our wolves should have matured by then. Had I shifted, I would have known Calvin was my mate already, but we had to wait the extra two months until today, his nineteenth birthday, for him to recognize me as his mate.<br /> <br /> Calvin didn't care that I hadn't turned. We had been together since before either of us were old enough to shift, and we were both positive that we were mates. He stood by me and protected me from the cruelty of the wolves around us when I failed to shift with the others.<br /> <br /> 'Calvin? Where are you?' I asked through our pack link but received no response.<br /> <br /> "Poor little human, you have a lot of guts to show up here right now. Do you have any idea how happy the pack is? Having you here will just ruin it. This party is for pack wolves only." Kate, my sister's best friend, said as the crowd parted for her, and the music stopped. All of the party guests stopped dancing and talking to watch as the biggest bully in the pack approached me.<br /> <br /> The flashing lights of varying colors continued in the uncomfortable silence.<br /> <br /> I hoped the man of the hour would see the disruption and step forward to my side, but he didn't. As I glanced around at all of the amused faces, he was nowhere to be seen.<br /> <br /> "Calvin invited me. I am in this pack, and I'm allowed to be here." I whispered, but I could feel the heat building in the back of my eyes as they all laughed again. Something was going on, and it was more than just Kate running her big mouth.<br /> <br /> "Even he doesn't want you here." She sneered before smiling at me widely. "See for yourself. Where is Calvin, hm? I think he went up to his room. You should go bring him back down to the party and see what he has to say."<br /> <br /> I held his present against my chest tighter as I narrowed my eyes. She was up to something, but I wanted to get to Calvin more than I wanted to deal with her b##lsh!t.<br /> <br /> As I took a step forward, Kate stepped to the side, and I could feel everyone watching me with amusement as I went up the stairs.<br /> <br /> Calvin's room was at the end of the hall behind double doors, and I rushed toward it. I could hear people coming up the stairs behind me, no doubt being led by Kate, but my salvation was only a few feet away.<br /> <br /> As soon as I got in his room, I could close the door and act as if none of them existed.<br /> <br /> It would just be the two of us.<br /> <br /> There was a stirring in the back of my mind as I wrapped my hand around the cold doorknob. It was a warning, telling me not to go inside. It wanted me to turn around and run, knowing this was a trap. Yet, I turned the knob anyway and pushed the door open.<br /> <br /> The loud moan of the female beneath my boyfriend made me freeze, and I stared wide-eyed at the couple tangled together. <br /> <br /> Calvin thr#st into her quickly, releasing his own groans of pleasure.<br /> <br /> My stomach tied in a knot, and it felt hard to breathe. The small spark of light in my life was extinguished, sending my mind into complete darkness as I processed what I was seeing.<br /> <br /> He lifted his head, meeting my tear-streaked face, but not seeing me as his wolf was in control. His canines extended just before he latched onto her neck, puncturing the skin and marking her as his mate.<br /> <br /> My sister.<br /> <br /> "No," I whispered as my hand covered my mouth. Calvin pulled back snarling at the disruption.<br /> <br /> "I told you he didn't want you," Kate whispered into my ear, and my sister laughed from beneath my boyfriend as she reached up and ran her hand through Calvin's short blonde hair.<br /> <br /> "Would you mind closing the door, Janet?" Kelly asked innocently, but the malicious look in her narrowed eyes showed she was pleased by her victory over me. Not only had she stolen the love of my life, but she was now to be his Luna. "I'm trying to have a private moment with my mate."<br /> <br /> Mate.<br /> <br /> The word seemed so empty now. Calvin had hated Kelly. He had watched how mean she was toward me and resented her. Now, he was baring his teeth at me, defending her.<br /> <br /> "How could you?" I choked out as a sob wracked through my ch#st, and the present in my hold dropped to the floor before me. The sudden and loud noise seemed to snap Calvin back into control, and his eyes returned to their normal brown.<br /> <br /> His jaw dropped open as he glanced from me to my sister with guilt, but he didn't look the least bit regretful. He was happy to have found and marked his mate, he only hated that he had been caught cheating. The torn look on his face only made me angrier as he gasped my name while he pulled out of my sister. She sat up as he climbed to his feet, neither of them ashamed to be seen n@#ed.<br /> <br /> "Janet, I…" He said, stepping forward and causing me to take a step away, only to be pushed back toward him by the crowd of on-lookers.<br /> <br /> I stumbled forward, trying to stay as far away from him as possible.<br /> <br /> The steady stream of tears blurred my vision, and my ch#st hurt as he whispered my name again. "Janet…She’s, my mate." He finally announced, causing the house to cheer in celebration that their future Luna had been claimed.	LEARN_MORE	https://www.novelsbd.com/fs/fqQnmu7J7Z7b?utm_campa	310868672102943	LycanNovel	https://facebook.com/61558569847164	2	1	457,111,550,105,596	2024-04-28 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	0	Learn more	LycanNovel	120207595157760301	www.novelsbd.com	NONE	video		https://www.novelsbd.com/fs/fqQnmu7J7Z7b?utm_campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_ad_id={{ad.id}}&utm_ad_name={{ad.name}}&utm_source={{site_source_name}}&utm_adset_id={{adset.id}}&utm_adset_name={{adset.name}}		2024-04-27 23:16	https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440286401_1642218696597995_5962408826324910868_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=coiv_z0m3-4Ab52MXob&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.xx&oh=00_AfCd9zCpnqWbqGllzpXUd-kSyb-jHHeLli9unmn7fMHpGQ&oe=663494FA	person_profile	0	LycanNovel	https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440347544_1923449164778755_6569320978187456712_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=uo7dgaNdSVgAb4Sgrji&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=00_AfD1i_IxKCebhZetbLGu_0DMVHkjHgqZmr9iE6L0Vf6fzw&oe=6634A27A	3	LycanNovel	2024-04-28 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,530,104	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1529627}'	Yes	2024-04-27 19:19	active	616	435842162361458		𝙎𝙋𝘼𝘾𝙀𝙎 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙇𝙄𝙈𝙄𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙎𝙏 𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍 𝙈𝘼𝙔 𝙃𝘼𝙇𝙁 𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙈 𝘾𝘼𝙈𝙋 ☀️⚽<br /> <br /> Book now online or WhatsApp 00 34 691 17 32 65<br /> <br /> Monday 27 to Friday 31<br /> 09:00-14:00<br /> €30 per day<br /> <br /> °°<br /> <br /> #rma #rmamallorca #mallorca #mallorcaisland #mallorcagram #mallorcalove #magaluf #calvia #calvia365 #mallorcakids #mallorcafamily #mallorcaworld #summersun #halfterm #footballcamp #1 #bestinclass	WHATSAPP_MESSAGE	https://api.whatsapp.com/send	117059977994324	rmamallorca	https://www.instagram.com/_u/rmamallorca	0	1	319,693,947,815,746	2024-04-27 02:00	ig_ads_identity	eligible	NONE	0	1	1	Send WhatsApp message	rmamallorca	6560988360958	WhatsApp	NONE	image		https://api.whatsapp.com/send		2024-04-27 15:50	https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/298718152_784371252596920_2597194094688806039_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s200x200&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=3fd06f&_nc_ohc=9-fGLkb-O00Ab4dUbUX&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AfBTLlgLo73pl916CBEdYGbjxjg7tKHyy3wquPryZnHxKw&oe=66336462	ig_ads_identity	1	RMA MALLORCA	https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438159548_639662171679059_3332057498399235196_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=PZScDuIXWdgAb4MfQGs&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-2.xx&oh=00_AfAf3cEYthuN-g277mbdAOLvEj6zm9F-Jr7sVjBTcDgvAA&oe=66335EAE	3	rmamallorca	2024-04-27 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,583,002	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1582999}'	No	2024-04-28 18:58	active	633	2174685579553033	Huge Baby Photo Contest	👀 Which child is the cutest? <br /> Participate with your child now! Register for FREE and try to win up to $5,000 🎉<br /> 👉 Join under <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Flolania.com%2Fjoin&h=AT0siEL9Ck-265bNF0pZq5wTORKgxhxmpSyDqBn8JSiPH9Gn5zYCa_f11udGxUdgokMfoMD7zzgt2VsUsFhnLZE-mmsc0tCrBNKlTJZ5XPLV4WxgDLqrFfXLg0HlM3UipZLUsLdL9Q_nORWC5A57ow" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://lolania.com/join</a>	SIGN_UP	https://lolania.com/join	113793955137304	Lolania	https://facebook.com/lolaniacontest	593	0	964,790,701,739,324	2024-04-28 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Sign up	Lolania	120207498523290495	lolania.com	NONE	image	Join Free Now	https://lolania.com/join		2024-04-08 08:09	https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/436013376_1137358443945997_8889955359741772244_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Biwq7dV56E4Ab6f47JC&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AfD3CxTNIkVGh2f8zD9j6bqeAO8Ro9NDrrVXEtIWNJVdxg&oe=6634C37C	person_profile	0	Lolania Baby Contest	https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/436313385_7722679651129854_6060126201483118149_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=i-iyG8jBL-AAb7NDldb&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=00_AfASBOxjMGOOvo4gEQ8pP8wTm7lA9Q0Sa1XqsBgqep0Vmg&oe=6634A448	3	Lolania	2024-04-14 02:00	View Edit Delete

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