Confucius Ads Library: Ads

Id	Vlad	Saved	Scrape Time	Status	Scrape Result	Title	Body	Cta Type	Link Url	Page Name	Page Profile Uri	Page Like Count	Enddate	Cta Text	Caption	Display Format	Link Description	Link Url	Creation Time	Page Profile Picture Url	Page Entity Type	Current Page Name	Startdate	Actions
2,083,569	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Read next chapter👉	“President, look at your ex-wife’s social media platform!” "Leaving the capital has nothing to do with me!" "In the photo, she is holding a child who looks very similar to you. Doesn't it matter?" He immediately dropped the document and rushed out! ============= Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom." Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?" Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. At that time, Mitchel's grandfather fell seriously ill. It was then he proposed a fake marriage just to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get married to the man she had a crush on for eight years. She delightfully agreed. After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. Raegan wished she could spend more time with him at home. However, she was rest assured because there hadn't been any rumors or scandals about him with women in the past two years. Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. She also wanted to tell him that she hadn't learned about him for the first time two years ago and that she had been crushing on him for many years before then. Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? Mitchel spent a few minutes on the balcony. Thereafter, he returned and changed into formal attire. His handsome face which had a clear outline made him look dignified. He was something to see now. "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. What? He was on his way out? At this hour? Raegan's grip on the report tightened as she stared at him in disappointment. Unconsciously, she withdrew slightly. After thinking for a while, she blurted out, "It's already so late." Mitchel's fingers froze on his tie. With a faint smile, he pinched her earlobe and said, "Be good, okay? There's something I have to do. Don't wait up." With that, he headed for the door. "Mitchel." Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter?" There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?" Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. However, she wasn't interested in them. She was about to swipe them away when one of them caught her attention. The familiar name made her click on it. The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today." Lauren was wearing a bucket hat. The man's figure was vague, but the outline of his body was enough to show that he was dashing. Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. Mitchel was the man in the picture! So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. The dial tone brought her back to her senses. Just as she was about to hang up, the line connected, and a voice came from the other end. "Hello!" It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. Since inception, only male assistants were hired for the president's office. Reagan was the first and only female. Her employment broke the protocol. As a result, other workers couldn't help but wonder if she was involved with Mitchel. It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks. At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel? Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. Raegan tried to remain calm now. She reasoned that no matter what happened, she deserved a result that would be rewarding for all the years she spent loving Mitchel. This couldn't be all for nothing, right? She pressed the elevator button calmly and went up to the president's office. Before she walked out of the elevator, she smoothed her hair to make sure she looked good. She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?" The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. "You know exactly what I mean!" Luis clicked his tongue impatiently and added, "I think Raegan is a good girl. Isn't she your type?" "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. "You know what, forget it!" The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. They were talking about her as if she were an object. Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?" "Yes." "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her." Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..." Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. The woman was indeed Lauren! Absence made the heart grow fonder! Every word drove a knife into her heart. Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. "Raegan?" Chapter 2 One-sided Love Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!" Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it." Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. It wasn't until she went out of sight that Luis turned to Mitchel and said in a hushed tone, "Do you think she heard us?" Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. In the elevator. Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. Several employees were chatting inside. "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back." "And who is that?" "Oh, my! You don't know her? Lauren is the heiress of the Murray Group as well as a world-class designer. Most importantly, she's the only girlfriend Mr. Dixon has ever shown off in public. She's his first love!" "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?" "Raegan? She's nothing to Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon never admitted that he was dating her. And that is no surprise to me. After all, look at her. She's not even that beautiful. Yet, she behaves as if she's already Mrs. Dixon. What a fool!" Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. The love was one-sided. "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?" A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Tessa uttered sarcastically, "Lauren is back now. Do you think Mitchel will still give you any attention?" Raegan said nothing to that. Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool." Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself." "You..." Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. Raegan didn't think for a second that Tessa would do something so crazy. She held up her arms just to block the liquid from her face. In no time, the coffee drenched her clothes. Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?" It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. She put on a mean-girl look as she said, "What makes you so smug every day, huh? Do you seriously think that others don't know you are just an orphan? The nerve of..." Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!" Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness." Indeed, she lost her parents when she was a child. But that didn't mean she would allow someone to walk over her for it. Wrinkles appeared on Tessa's face as she frowned in anger. As Mitchel's cousin, she was used to being fawned over and respected. This was the first time she had been treated like this. Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?" These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. "That's enough!" Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. The entire room fell silent. "Mitchel?" Tessa's blood ran cold at the sight of Mitchel. She had always been scared of him. Her mother also warned her against provoking him. But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me." The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. Their gaze met in the air. With a deep frown, Mitchel looked at Raegan and said, "Raegan, have you forgotten the rules of the company?" His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. No one dared to make a sound at this moment. Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. When she got employed here, Mitchel had told her that the Dixon Group wasn't a place for her to mess around and that he would not tolerate her making any mistakes. Raegan could understand why he took this stand. However, at this moment, she was desperate to know whether Mitchel had heard those hard words Tessa scolded her or he was just pretending not to have heard because he agreed to those words. Was she truly insignificant to him? Scared to death by Mitchel's rage, the crowd soon dispersed. A few employees were bold enough to peep from a distance, unwilling to miss the good show. Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you." Eyeing Raegan, Tessa raised her chin complacently. "Humph! Don't think you'll be let off the hook just by making a simple apology. I don't buy..." "The offence has nothing to do with the company. Personally, I refuse to apologize to you. Now, if you'd excuse me," Raegan chimed in. She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. "You..." Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. Pointing in Raegan's direction, Tessa shouted, "Mitchel, did you hear what that woman just said? She humiliated me, yet she's still so arrogant. Call her back. I have to teach her some manners!" Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. As someone who lived and breathed drama and cruelty, Tessa didn't think Mitchel was partial to Raegan just now. She assumed that Mitchel didn't care about Raegan at all. Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson." "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. Tessa trembled at once. With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone." The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..." Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards." Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here." Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please." It wasn't until this moment that Tessa realized that she was the irrelevant person Mitchel just mentioned. She tried to speak to him, but Matteo blocked her way. The security guards then escorted her out. They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. Closing hour soon rolled by. Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home." Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? Upon arriving at the hospital, Raegan saw that the nurse was about to feed her grandmother dinner. Raegan took the job over and did it by herself. All her life, her grandmother had been living in the countryside, enjoying a quiet life. Everything changed last month when her routine medical checkup showed that she was in need of medical care. Raegan insisted on bringing her to the city for better treatment. Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. Did he come to pick her up? At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. Chapter 3 Let's Divorce Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. She was Lauren. Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?" Raegan was stunned for a moment. She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay." She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. At the time, she had hopes of bringing her grandmother to the city, so she bought the apartment on mortgage. It wasn't that big, but it had more than enough space for two people. Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. Love could move mountains, they said. Yet, her love didn't move that stone of a man. She finally realized what a fool she had been. She had been making herself a laughingstock in front of everyone. It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. His sleeves were rolled up casually, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his long neck and part of his collarbone. He was leaning on the wall by the door, his handsome face straight. Raegan froze for a moment. Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. There were five missed calls from Mitchel. This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. But now, she just threw her phone back into her bag, folded her arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't hear it ring." Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours." After arranging everything for Lauren, he returned home to find an empty house. He looked for Raegan everywhere. When he couldn't find her, he asked Matteo to check the surveillance footage of all the roads that led away from the company. He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. "Next time, tell me when you are coming here, okay? Let's go home now." After that, Mitchel walked toward the elevator without sparing her another glance. He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. Would they have a future? Mitchell turned around, only to see that Raegan hadn't taken a single step. He frowned and asked, "Can't you walk? Do you want me to carry you instead?" The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce." "What do you mean?" Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon." Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. "We will be strangers?" Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?" His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. Mitchel had made it very clear to her from the very beginning. This facade of their marriage had happened by mutual agreement. There was no love. In the eyes of others, they were nothing more than just a superior and a subordinate. Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. His question just now reminded her of that fact. Was he afraid that she wouldn't let him go that easily? If that was the case, he couldn't be more wrong... After biting her lower lip to conceal her bitterness, Raegan said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dixon. I was giving it too much thought. Anyway, please leave me alone from now on. You don't have to come here again." After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. How could she not be sad when she was cutting ties with the man she had loved for a decade? It was such a long time. Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. It was high time she stopped being a fool. Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. His eyes shone like blazing torches at this moment. But when he saw the tears in her eyes, the rage inside him extinguished in an instant. He said in a low voice, "If this is about what happened between you and Tessa, I..." "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now." A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop this, will you?" A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. "You have a fever?" Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. This made the whole situation complicated. Reagan was slow to catch that. When she finally realized that her body was too close to his, she put her hands against his chest and tried to pull back. Before she could escape, Mitchel pulled her back and held her by the waist. With a cold face, he said in a low voice, "Where do you think you are going?" The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. He then headed for the elevator. In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course." "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital. Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. He walked to the elevator with her in his arms. At this moment, Raegan's heart was thumping so hard that it could jump out of her chest. She flailed in protest. "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!" &35&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	Hello reading	https://www.facebook.com/61552535188096/	46,590	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	IMAGE		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=798859118295947&rawadid=120215870037390091	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461432240_1057270309128817_483590375396101465_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=1fM4A4_pxRMQ7kNvgFroSxQ&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYDdVspezfanzKlikRo-6M84P1j-8snIcPlmX1fTCMfE-w&oe=67051F9C	PERSON_PROFILE	Hello reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,573	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Read next chapter👉	“President, look at your ex-wife’s social media platform!” "Leaving the capital has nothing to do with me!" "In the photo, she is holding a child who looks very similar to you. Doesn't it matter?" He immediately dropped the document and rushed out! ============= Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom." Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?" Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. At that time, Mitchel's grandfather fell seriously ill. It was then he proposed a fake marriage just to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get married to the man she had a crush on for eight years. She delightfully agreed. After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. Raegan wished she could spend more time with him at home. However, she was rest assured because there hadn't been any rumors or scandals about him with women in the past two years. Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. She also wanted to tell him that she hadn't learned about him for the first time two years ago and that she had been crushing on him for many years before then. Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? Mitchel spent a few minutes on the balcony. Thereafter, he returned and changed into formal attire. His handsome face which had a clear outline made him look dignified. He was something to see now. "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. What? He was on his way out? At this hour? Raegan's grip on the report tightened as she stared at him in disappointment. Unconsciously, she withdrew slightly. After thinking for a while, she blurted out, "It's already so late." Mitchel's fingers froze on his tie. With a faint smile, he pinched her earlobe and said, "Be good, okay? There's something I have to do. Don't wait up." With that, he headed for the door. "Mitchel." Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter?" There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?" Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. However, she wasn't interested in them. She was about to swipe them away when one of them caught her attention. The familiar name made her click on it. The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today." Lauren was wearing a bucket hat. The man's figure was vague, but the outline of his body was enough to show that he was dashing. Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. Mitchel was the man in the picture! So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. The dial tone brought her back to her senses. Just as she was about to hang up, the line connected, and a voice came from the other end. "Hello!" It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. Since inception, only male assistants were hired for the president's office. Reagan was the first and only female. Her employment broke the protocol. As a result, other workers couldn't help but wonder if she was involved with Mitchel. It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks. At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel? Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. Raegan tried to remain calm now. She reasoned that no matter what happened, she deserved a result that would be rewarding for all the years she spent loving Mitchel. This couldn't be all for nothing, right? She pressed the elevator button calmly and went up to the president's office. Before she walked out of the elevator, she smoothed her hair to make sure she looked good. She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?" The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. "You know exactly what I mean!" Luis clicked his tongue impatiently and added, "I think Raegan is a good girl. Isn't she your type?" "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. "You know what, forget it!" The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. They were talking about her as if she were an object. Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?" "Yes." "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her." Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..." Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. The woman was indeed Lauren! Absence made the heart grow fonder! Every word drove a knife into her heart. Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. "Raegan?" Chapter 2 One-sided Love Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!" Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it." Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. It wasn't until she went out of sight that Luis turned to Mitchel and said in a hushed tone, "Do you think she heard us?" Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. In the elevator. Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. Several employees were chatting inside. "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back." "And who is that?" "Oh, my! You don't know her? Lauren is the heiress of the Murray Group as well as a world-class designer. Most importantly, she's the only girlfriend Mr. Dixon has ever shown off in public. She's his first love!" "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?" "Raegan? She's nothing to Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon never admitted that he was dating her. And that is no surprise to me. After all, look at her. She's not even that beautiful. Yet, she behaves as if she's already Mrs. Dixon. What a fool!" Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. The love was one-sided. "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?" A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Tessa uttered sarcastically, "Lauren is back now. Do you think Mitchel will still give you any attention?" Raegan said nothing to that. Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool." Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself." "You..." Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. Raegan didn't think for a second that Tessa would do something so crazy. She held up her arms just to block the liquid from her face. In no time, the coffee drenched her clothes. Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?" It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. She put on a mean-girl look as she said, "What makes you so smug every day, huh? Do you seriously think that others don't know you are just an orphan? The nerve of..." Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!" Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness." Indeed, she lost her parents when she was a child. But that didn't mean she would allow someone to walk over her for it. Wrinkles appeared on Tessa's face as she frowned in anger. As Mitchel's cousin, she was used to being fawned over and respected. This was the first time she had been treated like this. Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?" These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. "That's enough!" Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. The entire room fell silent. "Mitchel?" Tessa's blood ran cold at the sight of Mitchel. She had always been scared of him. Her mother also warned her against provoking him. But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me." The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. Their gaze met in the air. With a deep frown, Mitchel looked at Raegan and said, "Raegan, have you forgotten the rules of the company?" His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. No one dared to make a sound at this moment. Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. When she got employed here, Mitchel had told her that the Dixon Group wasn't a place for her to mess around and that he would not tolerate her making any mistakes. Raegan could understand why he took this stand. However, at this moment, she was desperate to know whether Mitchel had heard those hard words Tessa scolded her or he was just pretending not to have heard because he agreed to those words. Was she truly insignificant to him? Scared to death by Mitchel's rage, the crowd soon dispersed. A few employees were bold enough to peep from a distance, unwilling to miss the good show. Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you." Eyeing Raegan, Tessa raised her chin complacently. "Humph! Don't think you'll be let off the hook just by making a simple apology. I don't buy..." "The offence has nothing to do with the company. Personally, I refuse to apologize to you. Now, if you'd excuse me," Raegan chimed in. She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. "You..." Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. Pointing in Raegan's direction, Tessa shouted, "Mitchel, did you hear what that woman just said? She humiliated me, yet she's still so arrogant. Call her back. I have to teach her some manners!" Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. As someone who lived and breathed drama and cruelty, Tessa didn't think Mitchel was partial to Raegan just now. She assumed that Mitchel didn't care about Raegan at all. Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson." "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. Tessa trembled at once. With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone." The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..." Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards." Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here." Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please." It wasn't until this moment that Tessa realized that she was the irrelevant person Mitchel just mentioned. She tried to speak to him, but Matteo blocked her way. The security guards then escorted her out. They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. Closing hour soon rolled by. Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home." Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? Upon arriving at the hospital, Raegan saw that the nurse was about to feed her grandmother dinner. Raegan took the job over and did it by herself. All her life, her grandmother had been living in the countryside, enjoying a quiet life. Everything changed last month when her routine medical checkup showed that she was in need of medical care. Raegan insisted on bringing her to the city for better treatment. Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. Did he come to pick her up? At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. Chapter 3 Let's Divorce Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. She was Lauren. Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?" Raegan was stunned for a moment. She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay." She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. At the time, she had hopes of bringing her grandmother to the city, so she bought the apartment on mortgage. It wasn't that big, but it had more than enough space for two people. Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. Love could move mountains, they said. Yet, her love didn't move that stone of a man. She finally realized what a fool she had been. She had been making herself a laughingstock in front of everyone. It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. His sleeves were rolled up casually, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his long neck and part of his collarbone. He was leaning on the wall by the door, his handsome face straight. Raegan froze for a moment. Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. There were five missed calls from Mitchel. This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. But now, she just threw her phone back into her bag, folded her arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't hear it ring." Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours." After arranging everything for Lauren, he returned home to find an empty house. He looked for Raegan everywhere. When he couldn't find her, he asked Matteo to check the surveillance footage of all the roads that led away from the company. He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. "Next time, tell me when you are coming here, okay? Let's go home now." After that, Mitchel walked toward the elevator without sparing her another glance. He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. Would they have a future? Mitchell turned around, only to see that Raegan hadn't taken a single step. He frowned and asked, "Can't you walk? Do you want me to carry you instead?" The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce." "What do you mean?" Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon." Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. "We will be strangers?" Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?" His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. Mitchel had made it very clear to her from the very beginning. This facade of their marriage had happened by mutual agreement. There was no love. In the eyes of others, they were nothing more than just a superior and a subordinate. Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. His question just now reminded her of that fact. Was he afraid that she wouldn't let him go that easily? If that was the case, he couldn't be more wrong... After biting her lower lip to conceal her bitterness, Raegan said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dixon. I was giving it too much thought. Anyway, please leave me alone from now on. You don't have to come here again." After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. How could she not be sad when she was cutting ties with the man she had loved for a decade? It was such a long time. Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. It was high time she stopped being a fool. Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. His eyes shone like blazing torches at this moment. But when he saw the tears in her eyes, the rage inside him extinguished in an instant. He said in a low voice, "If this is about what happened between you and Tessa, I..." "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now." A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop this, will you?" A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. "You have a fever?" Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. This made the whole situation complicated. Reagan was slow to catch that. When she finally realized that her body was too close to his, she put her hands against his chest and tried to pull back. Before she could escape, Mitchel pulled her back and held her by the waist. With a cold face, he said in a low voice, "Where do you think you are going?" The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. He then headed for the elevator. In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course." "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital. Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. He walked to the elevator with her in his arms. At this moment, Raegan's heart was thumping so hard that it could jump out of her chest. She flailed in protest. "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!" &35&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	Loving reading	https://www.facebook.com/100093132009618/	16,359	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	IMAGE		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=791750052879575&rawadid=120213137982630758	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/460847008_436300146136726_8072698265531574216_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=g1DxdzxYlm4Q7kNvgHZWoJH&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYBcnVyLNm3Y9TxTv1Sq1zuLHo6o0rjxzuaH_umPSyKKnQ&oe=670520B5	PERSON_PROFILE	Loving reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,570	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Read next chapter👉	“President, look at your ex-wife’s social media platform!” "Leaving the capital has nothing to do with me!" "In the photo, she is holding a child who looks very similar to you. Doesn't it matter?" He immediately dropped the document and rushed out! ============= Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom." Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?" Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. At that time, Mitchel's grandfather fell seriously ill. It was then he proposed a fake marriage just to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get married to the man she had a crush on for eight years. She delightfully agreed. After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. Raegan wished she could spend more time with him at home. However, she was rest assured because there hadn't been any rumors or scandals about him with women in the past two years. Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. She also wanted to tell him that she hadn't learned about him for the first time two years ago and that she had been crushing on him for many years before then. Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? Mitchel spent a few minutes on the balcony. Thereafter, he returned and changed into formal attire. His handsome face which had a clear outline made him look dignified. He was something to see now. "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. What? He was on his way out? At this hour? Raegan's grip on the report tightened as she stared at him in disappointment. Unconsciously, she withdrew slightly. After thinking for a while, she blurted out, "It's already so late." Mitchel's fingers froze on his tie. With a faint smile, he pinched her earlobe and said, "Be good, okay? There's something I have to do. Don't wait up." With that, he headed for the door. "Mitchel." Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter?" There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?" Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. However, she wasn't interested in them. She was about to swipe them away when one of them caught her attention. The familiar name made her click on it. The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today." Lauren was wearing a bucket hat. The man's figure was vague, but the outline of his body was enough to show that he was dashing. Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. Mitchel was the man in the picture! So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. The dial tone brought her back to her senses. Just as she was about to hang up, the line connected, and a voice came from the other end. "Hello!" It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. Since inception, only male assistants were hired for the president's office. Reagan was the first and only female. Her employment broke the protocol. As a result, other workers couldn't help but wonder if she was involved with Mitchel. It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks. At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel? Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. Raegan tried to remain calm now. She reasoned that no matter what happened, she deserved a result that would be rewarding for all the years she spent loving Mitchel. This couldn't be all for nothing, right? She pressed the elevator button calmly and went up to the president's office. Before she walked out of the elevator, she smoothed her hair to make sure she looked good. She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?" The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. "You know exactly what I mean!" Luis clicked his tongue impatiently and added, "I think Raegan is a good girl. Isn't she your type?" "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. "You know what, forget it!" The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. They were talking about her as if she were an object. Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?" "Yes." "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her." Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..." Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. The woman was indeed Lauren! Absence made the heart grow fonder! Every word drove a knife into her heart. Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. "Raegan?" Chapter 2 One-sided Love Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!" Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it." Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. It wasn't until she went out of sight that Luis turned to Mitchel and said in a hushed tone, "Do you think she heard us?" Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. In the elevator. Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. Several employees were chatting inside. "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back." "And who is that?" "Oh, my! You don't know her? Lauren is the heiress of the Murray Group as well as a world-class designer. Most importantly, she's the only girlfriend Mr. Dixon has ever shown off in public. She's his first love!" "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?" "Raegan? She's nothing to Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon never admitted that he was dating her. And that is no surprise to me. After all, look at her. She's not even that beautiful. Yet, she behaves as if she's already Mrs. Dixon. What a fool!" Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. The love was one-sided. "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?" A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Tessa uttered sarcastically, "Lauren is back now. Do you think Mitchel will still give you any attention?" Raegan said nothing to that. Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool." Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself." "You..." Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. Raegan didn't think for a second that Tessa would do something so crazy. She held up her arms just to block the liquid from her face. In no time, the coffee drenched her clothes. Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?" It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. She put on a mean-girl look as she said, "What makes you so smug every day, huh? Do you seriously think that others don't know you are just an orphan? The nerve of..." Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!" Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness." Indeed, she lost her parents when she was a child. But that didn't mean she would allow someone to walk over her for it. Wrinkles appeared on Tessa's face as she frowned in anger. As Mitchel's cousin, she was used to being fawned over and respected. This was the first time she had been treated like this. Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?" These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. "That's enough!" Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. The entire room fell silent. "Mitchel?" Tessa's blood ran cold at the sight of Mitchel. She had always been scared of him. Her mother also warned her against provoking him. But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me." The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. Their gaze met in the air. With a deep frown, Mitchel looked at Raegan and said, "Raegan, have you forgotten the rules of the company?" His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. No one dared to make a sound at this moment. Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. When she got employed here, Mitchel had told her that the Dixon Group wasn't a place for her to mess around and that he would not tolerate her making any mistakes. Raegan could understand why he took this stand. However, at this moment, she was desperate to know whether Mitchel had heard those hard words Tessa scolded her or he was just pretending not to have heard because he agreed to those words. Was she truly insignificant to him? Scared to death by Mitchel's rage, the crowd soon dispersed. A few employees were bold enough to peep from a distance, unwilling to miss the good show. Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you." Eyeing Raegan, Tessa raised her chin complacently. "Humph! Don't think you'll be let off the hook just by making a simple apology. I don't buy..." "The offence has nothing to do with the company. Personally, I refuse to apologize to you. Now, if you'd excuse me," Raegan chimed in. She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. "You..." Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. Pointing in Raegan's direction, Tessa shouted, "Mitchel, did you hear what that woman just said? She humiliated me, yet she's still so arrogant. Call her back. I have to teach her some manners!" Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. As someone who lived and breathed drama and cruelty, Tessa didn't think Mitchel was partial to Raegan just now. She assumed that Mitchel didn't care about Raegan at all. Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson." "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. Tessa trembled at once. With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone." The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..." Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards." Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here." Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please." It wasn't until this moment that Tessa realized that she was the irrelevant person Mitchel just mentioned. She tried to speak to him, but Matteo blocked her way. The security guards then escorted her out. They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. Closing hour soon rolled by. Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home." Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? Upon arriving at the hospital, Raegan saw that the nurse was about to feed her grandmother dinner. Raegan took the job over and did it by herself. All her life, her grandmother had been living in the countryside, enjoying a quiet life. Everything changed last month when her routine medical checkup showed that she was in need of medical care. Raegan insisted on bringing her to the city for better treatment. Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. Did he come to pick her up? At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. Chapter 3 Let's Divorce Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. She was Lauren. Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?" Raegan was stunned for a moment. She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay." She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. At the time, she had hopes of bringing her grandmother to the city, so she bought the apartment on mortgage. It wasn't that big, but it had more than enough space for two people. Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. Love could move mountains, they said. Yet, her love didn't move that stone of a man. She finally realized what a fool she had been. She had been making herself a laughingstock in front of everyone. It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. His sleeves were rolled up casually, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his long neck and part of his collarbone. He was leaning on the wall by the door, his handsome face straight. Raegan froze for a moment. Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. There were five missed calls from Mitchel. This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. But now, she just threw her phone back into her bag, folded her arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't hear it ring." Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours." After arranging everything for Lauren, he returned home to find an empty house. He looked for Raegan everywhere. When he couldn't find her, he asked Matteo to check the surveillance footage of all the roads that led away from the company. He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. "Next time, tell me when you are coming here, okay? Let's go home now." After that, Mitchel walked toward the elevator without sparing her another glance. He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. Would they have a future? Mitchell turned around, only to see that Raegan hadn't taken a single step. He frowned and asked, "Can't you walk? Do you want me to carry you instead?" The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce." "What do you mean?" Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon." Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. "We will be strangers?" Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?" His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. Mitchel had made it very clear to her from the very beginning. This facade of their marriage had happened by mutual agreement. There was no love. In the eyes of others, they were nothing more than just a superior and a subordinate. Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. His question just now reminded her of that fact. Was he afraid that she wouldn't let him go that easily? If that was the case, he couldn't be more wrong... After biting her lower lip to conceal her bitterness, Raegan said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dixon. I was giving it too much thought. Anyway, please leave me alone from now on. You don't have to come here again." After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. How could she not be sad when she was cutting ties with the man she had loved for a decade? It was such a long time. Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. It was high time she stopped being a fool. Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. His eyes shone like blazing torches at this moment. But when he saw the tears in her eyes, the rage inside him extinguished in an instant. He said in a low voice, "If this is about what happened between you and Tessa, I..." "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now." A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop this, will you?" A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. "You have a fever?" Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. This made the whole situation complicated. Reagan was slow to catch that. When she finally realized that her body was too close to his, she put her hands against his chest and tried to pull back. Before she could escape, Mitchel pulled her back and held her by the waist. With a cold face, he said in a low voice, "Where do you think you are going?" The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. He then headed for the elevator. In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course." "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital. Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. He walked to the elevator with her in his arms. At this moment, Raegan's heart was thumping so hard that it could jump out of her chest. She flailed in protest. "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!" &35&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	Hello reading	https://www.facebook.com/61552535188096/	46,590	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	IMAGE		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=798859118295947&rawadid=120215948316620091	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461568466_891603075909102_8059679754723137568_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=9Exhb3PdNOMQ7kNvgFZnqYw&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYD1I8gV56OHEQS9hzOdSkCbEBCTpP3IIyCNi46KkqaTBw&oe=6705264B	PERSON_PROFILE	Hello reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,568	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Read next chapter👉	“President, look at your ex-wife’s social media platform!” "Leaving the capital has nothing to do with me!" "In the photo, she is holding a child who looks very similar to you. Doesn't it matter?" He immediately dropped the document and rushed out! ============= Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom." Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?" Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. At that time, Mitchel's grandfather fell seriously ill. It was then he proposed a fake marriage just to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. Never in a million years did she think she would ever get married to the man she had a crush on for eight years. She delightfully agreed. After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. Raegan wished she could spend more time with him at home. However, she was rest assured because there hadn't been any rumors or scandals about him with women in the past two years. Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. She also wanted to tell him that she hadn't learned about him for the first time two years ago and that she had been crushing on him for many years before then. Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? Mitchel spent a few minutes on the balcony. Thereafter, he returned and changed into formal attire. His handsome face which had a clear outline made him look dignified. He was something to see now. "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. What? He was on his way out? At this hour? Raegan's grip on the report tightened as she stared at him in disappointment. Unconsciously, she withdrew slightly. After thinking for a while, she blurted out, "It's already so late." Mitchel's fingers froze on his tie. With a faint smile, he pinched her earlobe and said, "Be good, okay? There's something I have to do. Don't wait up." With that, he headed for the door. "Mitchel." Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter?" There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?" Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. However, she wasn't interested in them. She was about to swipe them away when one of them caught her attention. The familiar name made her click on it. The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today." Lauren was wearing a bucket hat. The man's figure was vague, but the outline of his body was enough to show that he was dashing. Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. Mitchel was the man in the picture! So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. The dial tone brought her back to her senses. Just as she was about to hang up, the line connected, and a voice came from the other end. "Hello!" It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. Since inception, only male assistants were hired for the president's office. Reagan was the first and only female. Her employment broke the protocol. As a result, other workers couldn't help but wonder if she was involved with Mitchel. It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks. At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel? Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. Raegan tried to remain calm now. She reasoned that no matter what happened, she deserved a result that would be rewarding for all the years she spent loving Mitchel. This couldn't be all for nothing, right? She pressed the elevator button calmly and went up to the president's office. Before she walked out of the elevator, she smoothed her hair to make sure she looked good. She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?" The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. "You know exactly what I mean!" Luis clicked his tongue impatiently and added, "I think Raegan is a good girl. Isn't she your type?" "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. "You know what, forget it!" The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. They were talking about her as if she were an object. Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?" "Yes." "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her." Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..." Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. The woman was indeed Lauren! Absence made the heart grow fonder! Every word drove a knife into her heart. Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. "Raegan?" Chapter 2 One-sided Love Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!" Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it." Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. It wasn't until she went out of sight that Luis turned to Mitchel and said in a hushed tone, "Do you think she heard us?" Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. In the elevator. Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. Several employees were chatting inside. "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back." "And who is that?" "Oh, my! You don't know her? Lauren is the heiress of the Murray Group as well as a world-class designer. Most importantly, she's the only girlfriend Mr. Dixon has ever shown off in public. She's his first love!" "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?" "Raegan? She's nothing to Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon never admitted that he was dating her. And that is no surprise to me. After all, look at her. She's not even that beautiful. Yet, she behaves as if she's already Mrs. Dixon. What a fool!" Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. The love was one-sided. "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?" A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. With a cup of coffee in her hand, Tessa uttered sarcastically, "Lauren is back now. Do you think Mitchel will still give you any attention?" Raegan said nothing to that. Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool." Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself." "You..." Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. Raegan didn't think for a second that Tessa would do something so crazy. She held up her arms just to block the liquid from her face. In no time, the coffee drenched her clothes. Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?" It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. She put on a mean-girl look as she said, "What makes you so smug every day, huh? Do you seriously think that others don't know you are just an orphan? The nerve of..." Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!" Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness." Indeed, she lost her parents when she was a child. But that didn't mean she would allow someone to walk over her for it. Wrinkles appeared on Tessa's face as she frowned in anger. As Mitchel's cousin, she was used to being fawned over and respected. This was the first time she had been treated like this. Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?" These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. "That's enough!" Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. The entire room fell silent. "Mitchel?" Tessa's blood ran cold at the sight of Mitchel. She had always been scared of him. Her mother also warned her against provoking him. But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me." The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. Their gaze met in the air. With a deep frown, Mitchel looked at Raegan and said, "Raegan, have you forgotten the rules of the company?" His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. No one dared to make a sound at this moment. Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. When she got employed here, Mitchel had told her that the Dixon Group wasn't a place for her to mess around and that he would not tolerate her making any mistakes. Raegan could understand why he took this stand. However, at this moment, she was desperate to know whether Mitchel had heard those hard words Tessa scolded her or he was just pretending not to have heard because he agreed to those words. Was she truly insignificant to him? Scared to death by Mitchel's rage, the crowd soon dispersed. A few employees were bold enough to peep from a distance, unwilling to miss the good show. Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you." Eyeing Raegan, Tessa raised her chin complacently. "Humph! Don't think you'll be let off the hook just by making a simple apology. I don't buy..." "The offence has nothing to do with the company. Personally, I refuse to apologize to you. Now, if you'd excuse me," Raegan chimed in. She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. "You..." Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. Pointing in Raegan's direction, Tessa shouted, "Mitchel, did you hear what that woman just said? She humiliated me, yet she's still so arrogant. Call her back. I have to teach her some manners!" Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. As someone who lived and breathed drama and cruelty, Tessa didn't think Mitchel was partial to Raegan just now. She assumed that Mitchel didn't care about Raegan at all. Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson." "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. Tessa trembled at once. With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone." The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..." Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards." Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here." Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please." It wasn't until this moment that Tessa realized that she was the irrelevant person Mitchel just mentioned. She tried to speak to him, but Matteo blocked her way. The security guards then escorted her out. They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. Closing hour soon rolled by. Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home." Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? Upon arriving at the hospital, Raegan saw that the nurse was about to feed her grandmother dinner. Raegan took the job over and did it by herself. All her life, her grandmother had been living in the countryside, enjoying a quiet life. Everything changed last month when her routine medical checkup showed that she was in need of medical care. Raegan insisted on bringing her to the city for better treatment. Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. Did he come to pick her up? At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. Chapter 3 Let's Divorce Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. She was Lauren. Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?" Raegan was stunned for a moment. She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay." She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. At the time, she had hopes of bringing her grandmother to the city, so she bought the apartment on mortgage. It wasn't that big, but it had more than enough space for two people. Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. Love could move mountains, they said. Yet, her love didn't move that stone of a man. She finally realized what a fool she had been. She had been making herself a laughingstock in front of everyone. It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. His sleeves were rolled up casually, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his long neck and part of his collarbone. He was leaning on the wall by the door, his handsome face straight. Raegan froze for a moment. Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. There were five missed calls from Mitchel. This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. But now, she just threw her phone back into her bag, folded her arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't hear it ring." Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours." After arranging everything for Lauren, he returned home to find an empty house. He looked for Raegan everywhere. When he couldn't find her, he asked Matteo to check the surveillance footage of all the roads that led away from the company. He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. "Next time, tell me when you are coming here, okay? Let's go home now." After that, Mitchel walked toward the elevator without sparing her another glance. He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. Would they have a future? Mitchell turned around, only to see that Raegan hadn't taken a single step. He frowned and asked, "Can't you walk? Do you want me to carry you instead?" The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce." "What do you mean?" Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon." Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. "We will be strangers?" Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?" His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. Mitchel had made it very clear to her from the very beginning. This facade of their marriage had happened by mutual agreement. There was no love. In the eyes of others, they were nothing more than just a superior and a subordinate. Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. His question just now reminded her of that fact. Was he afraid that she wouldn't let him go that easily? If that was the case, he couldn't be more wrong... After biting her lower lip to conceal her bitterness, Raegan said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dixon. I was giving it too much thought. Anyway, please leave me alone from now on. You don't have to come here again." After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. How could she not be sad when she was cutting ties with the man she had loved for a decade? It was such a long time. Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. It was high time she stopped being a fool. Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. His eyes shone like blazing torches at this moment. But when he saw the tears in her eyes, the rage inside him extinguished in an instant. He said in a low voice, "If this is about what happened between you and Tessa, I..." "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now." A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop this, will you?" A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. "You have a fever?" Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. This made the whole situation complicated. Reagan was slow to catch that. When she finally realized that her body was too close to his, she put her hands against his chest and tried to pull back. Before she could escape, Mitchel pulled her back and held her by the waist. With a cold face, he said in a low voice, "Where do you think you are going?" The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. He then headed for the elevator. In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course." "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital. Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. He walked to the elevator with her in his arms. At this moment, Raegan's heart was thumping so hard that it could jump out of her chest. She flailed in protest. "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!" &35&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	Hello reading	https://www.facebook.com/61552535188096/	46,590	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	IMAGE		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=798859118295947&rawadid=120215948297560091	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461569085_1203863697492444_6518210555350236876_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=GXmZ-qVxiL0Q7kNvgEEa8VT&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYDlmFYSWCxvYDJXVyAN5rTbKfslJBJxxab-jNnYFCPRiQ&oe=67052FD4	PERSON_PROFILE	Hello reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,576	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083575}'	No	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Enjaillement in Portland	Portland, you ready? We touch down on October 16th to bring you a healthy dose of afro, club, house and more. Start stretching 🦎 Tickets are available now!	SHOP_NOW	https://www.more.com/music/moonshine/	Moonshine	https://www.facebook.com/moonshinemu/	14,664	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	more.com	DCO		https://www.more.com/music/moonshine/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461417137_1195300271526349_2547910404371500621_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kPg38NzFSb0Q7kNvgHBu0Ml&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYClqXcqOkSkUxUN42wEtg6MkknmNKrsCul1XhivE8k0FA&oe=67051EE6	PERSON_PROFILE	Moonshine	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,579	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083578}'	No	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	The Little Gym Of Salt Lake City	A Place for Kids to Grow, Learn, and Play! 🌈 From early development to skill-building, The Little Gym has a class for every child. Start with a free introductory class!	LEARN_MORE		The Little Gym of Salt Lake City	https://www.facebook.com/littlegymslc/	2,032	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more		IMAGE			1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461820832_1564852027449573_8397329141331945524_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zqxbSyeDTuoQ7kNvgGBYDWa&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYCdSasLryfrMVAqjQY_V76CvBPdeeRoYPr06Unlg2_KkQ&oe=67052966	PERSON_PROFILE	The Little Gym of Salt Lake City	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,581	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083580}'	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	The other cholesterol you need to know about	We're offering a free blood test for this little-known cholesterol, Lp(a). Join us at Spring Chateau on October 7th to October 9th.	SIGN_UP	https://cardiometabolicscreening.careaccess.com/?u	Care Access Research	https://www.facebook.com/CareAccessClinicalTrials/	4,244	1969-12-31 18:00	Sign Up	myfreehearttest.com	DCO	{{product.description}}	https://cardiometabolicscreening.careaccess.com/?utm_campaign=lpa_screening_Spring_Spring Chateau_event_Oct07&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_content=ad35	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461147040_1604526080460360_4915995511408792149_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=XDlGpgPqkeAQ7kNvgGgXiJC&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYA9DJssmnFSovTdfNSTh-m9LT28kVM_BGg-5PqBcovhRw&oe=6704FA49	PERSON_PROFILE	Care Access	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,577	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083575}'	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Enjaillement in Portland	Portland, you ready? We touch down on October 16th to bring you a healthy dose of afro, club, house and more. Start stretching 🦎 Tickets are available now!	SHOP_NOW	https://www.more.com/music/moonshine/	Moonshine	https://www.facebook.com/moonshinemu/	14,664	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	more.com	DCO		https://www.more.com/music/moonshine/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461417137_1195300271526349_2547910404371500621_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kPg38NzFSb0Q7kNvgHBu0Ml&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYClqXcqOkSkUxUN42wEtg6MkknmNKrsCul1XhivE8k0FA&oe=67051EE6	PERSON_PROFILE	Moonshine	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,587	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083671}'	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	High-Precision Medical Pulse Oximeter	💪 “This compact, affordable oximeter could be a game-changer for your health and the well-being of those you care about.” - David K. Ready to take charge of your health? Our Finger Pulse Oximeter is an essential tool for monitoring oxygen levels and pulse rates with precision and ease. Whether you're an athlete, managing a health condition, or simply seeking reassurance, this device has you covered. 🔹 Precision You Can Trust - Accurate oxygen saturation and pulse rate readings in just seconds. 🔹 User-Friendly - Effortlessly clip it on your finger for immediate results. 🔹 Convenient and Portable - Lightweight and perfect for use at home, the gym, or on the go. 🔹 Versatile and Essential - Great for athletes, seniors, and anyone with respiratory or cardiovascular concerns. 🛒 Order Now to Elevate Your Health Monitoring! Don't leave your well-being to chance. Secure your peace of mind and safeguard your health with our highly recommended Finger Pulse Oximeter. Click the link to shop now and experience the benefits today! https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	SHOP_NOW	https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	US Home Shopping	https://www.facebook.com/61566583535272/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	blackfridaysale-us.com	VIDEO		https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461923599_547904481144439_5552477605491608412_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=dMUXGCHAvf0Q7kNvgEd9mZE&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYBQNxW0GG0D180ORjKoX_AavfLC9A0u_G86XVm2XvmdDA&oe=670504DC	PERSON_PROFILE	US Home Shopping	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,584	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Trece un test scurt >>>	✈️În doar 5 zile, curba siluetei tale se va schimba și te vei simți mai ușoară și mai energică. 🔥E gratuit, înscrie-te acum la provocarea de 5 zile și convinge-te!	SIGN_UP	https://curs.fitnessmama.ro/quiz	Fitness Mama	https://www.facebook.com/fitnessmama.md/	176,643	1969-12-31 18:00	Sign Up	curs.fitnessmama.ro	DCO	{{product.description}}	https://curs.fitnessmama.ro/quiz	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448057394_1545285622718449_3389850099458206549_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=3TOlpcvOQEsQ7kNvgEyDzip&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYAwIock8zb5eA-ZN0ALVd-cRT4cdIRQnigPUQibaitQvw&oe=670525AD	PERSON_PROFILE	Fitness Mama	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,589	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083671}'	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	High-Precision Medical Pulse Oximeter	💪 “This compact, affordable oximeter could be a game-changer for your health and the well-being of those you care about.” - David K. Ready to take charge of your health? Our Finger Pulse Oximeter is an essential tool for monitoring oxygen levels and pulse rates with precision and ease. Whether you're an athlete, managing a health condition, or simply seeking reassurance, this device has you covered. 🔹 Precision You Can Trust - Accurate oxygen saturation and pulse rate readings in just seconds. 🔹 User-Friendly - Effortlessly clip it on your finger for immediate results. 🔹 Convenient and Portable - Lightweight and perfect for use at home, the gym, or on the go. 🔹 Versatile and Essential - Great for athletes, seniors, and anyone with respiratory or cardiovascular concerns. 🛒 Order Now to Elevate Your Health Monitoring! Don't leave your well-being to chance. Secure your peace of mind and safeguard your health with our highly recommended Finger Pulse Oximeter. Click the link to shop now and experience the benefits today! https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	SHOP_NOW	https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	US Home Shopping	https://www.facebook.com/61566939802106/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	blackfridaysale-us.com	VIDEO		https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461755280_560933466460916_1779815105748701935_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=1-9jSGAEI4YQ7kNvgHeVlux&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AUsvgi9m64ZVGWKOpu6Qi3E&oh=00_AYAndcC5smEoOS_mEBTxVIYSOzbjKq2-Y3K7NQsf4Il6sA&oe=6705237C	PERSON_PROFILE	US Home Shopping	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,583	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083582}'	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	The other cholesterol you need to know about	We're offering a free blood test for this little-known cholesterol, Lp(a). Join us at Spring Chateau on October 7th to October 9th.	SIGN_UP	https://cardiometabolicscreening.careaccess.com/?u	Care Access Research	https://www.facebook.com/CareAccessClinicalTrials/	4,244	1969-12-31 18:00	Sign Up	myfreehearttest.com	DCO	{{product.description}}	https://cardiometabolicscreening.careaccess.com/?utm_campaign=lpa_screening_Spring_Spring Chateau_event_Oct07&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_content=ad34	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461205208_1283678819284525_457714596043124471_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=rHXK6v_XBjAQ7kNvgE2q7sN&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AgloApbih0rrQN0uPlEYUfl&oh=00_AYAaM_8xzeDNqc4xgWeDLPc59oMAAFWj5oAWnxmcvmYcXw&oe=6705241F	PERSON_PROFILE	Care Access	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,592	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Желания Луны: Дерзкое Предложение Директора	Чтобы оплатить медицинские расходы матери, она согласилась выйти замуж за генерального директора, но не ожидала, что после замужества влюбится в этого мужчину, который уже заботился о ком-то другом. ===== Виолетта Хромова, находившаяся в командировке, лежала на кровати в гостиничном номере, постепенно проваливаясь в сон. Внезапный, hо как внутри неё пробуждается необъяснимое желание, oна неосознанно и схватила телефон. Из-за отсутствия контактных линз девушка плохо видела, но, отыскав знакомую фамилию своей лучшей подруги, нажала на неё и отправила сообщение. Несколько секунд спустя она получила ответ. «?» Виолетта нахмурилась и пошутила: «Не делай вид, что не понимаешь! Я в комнате 1501». Отправив сообщение, Виолетта с нетерпением ждала ответа, но тишину нарушало лишь стрекотание сверчков. Когда она собиралась встать с постели, чтобы попить воды, внезапно раздался звонок в дверь. Девушка не придала этому особого значения, oткрыв дверь, Виолетта замерла. «Господин Бролов?» Похоже, он недавно принял душ. Его короткие волосы ещё не успели высохнуть, а тело прикрывал лишь чёрный шёлковый халат. Благодаря своему высокому росту и крепкому телосложению он возвышался над ней и практически перекрывал дверной проём. «Господин Бролов, чем я могу помочь...» Прежде чем девушка успела закончить предложение, mужчина бросился к ней... Освещаемая лунным светом, девушка поразмыслила об этом и наконец, набравшись смелости, обвила его шею руками. Глава 2 Двоякость Вадима Бролова Виолетта проснулась рано утром и обнаружила, лежа рядом с мужчиной. Боже! Что она натворила? Не теряя ни минуты, Виолетта быстро оделась, собрала вещи и побежала к стойке регистрации отеля, чтобы заселиться в другой номер. Пытаясь понять, что, чёрт возьми, произошло прошлым вечером, она проверила свой телефон и обнаружила, что отправленные ею н**ристойные сообщения не дошли до её лучшей подруги Алины Броловой. Оказалось, что Виолетта по ошибке отправила их другому человеку с такой же фамилией - своему начальнику и генеральному директору компании «Эссенция», Вадиму Бролову. Несколько лет назад на встрече школьных выпускников староста класса создал чат-группу и попросил всех добавить друг друга в друзья. Виолетта прекрасно помнила, что Вадим сам добавился к ней в друзья, но за всё время ни разу ей не написал. Девушка в панике провела рукой по своим растрёпанным волосам, пытаясь понять, как могла совершить настолько глупую ошибку. Она вошла в свой новый номер и постаралась успокоиться. Затем Виолетта решительно достала телефон и вышла из группового чата выпускников. После этого она сменила своё имя в соцсетях с Виолетты на Лилию, а фотографию заменила на изображение случайной девушки, которое нашла в Интернете. Теперь Вадим не узнает, кто она. Виолетта решила, что нет необходимости удалять его из друзей. Учитывая, что номер 1501 был забронирован компанией, не должно остаться никаких следов, ведущих к ней. Приняв эти меры предосторожности, Виолетта наконец отложила телефон в сторону и снова уснула. Проснулась она под пронзительный звон будильника над ухом. Сегодня ей с менеджером предстояло пойти в компанию «Грация», чтобы обсудить дополнительное финансирование. Прибыльность проекта снизилась настолько, что он стал убыточным. Партнёры требовали восполнить потери и пригрозили продать свою долю акций, если это не будет сделано. Инвестиционному отделу повезло, что у Вадима был свой частный самолёт, на котором они и полетели в срочном порядке в Донинск. Умывшись и почистив зубы, девушка поспешила в вестибюль отеля с документами в руке. Вскоре после этого Алина спустилась вниз, недовольно пробормотав: «Кирилл продолжает настаивать, что мы ничего не должны восполнять, но я сходила в компанию и проверила договор. На копии было его имя!» «Тсс, Кирилл идёт. Лучше ему об этом не слышать», - предупредила Виолетта. В этот момент она заметила высокого мужчину, выходящего из лифта в окружении группы людей. Это был Вадим. Он сменил шёлковый халат, в котором был вчера вечером, на хорошо сшитый чёрный костюм. Его густые брови были слегка нахмурены, а тонкие губы плотно сжаты, пока он слушал доклад своего секретаря. Проходя по вестибюлю, Вадим даже не взглянул на Виолетту. Его холодность была хорошо известна всем в деловом мире. Выражение этого точёного лица всегда оставалось сдержанным и высокомерным. Вадим мало говорил, но одного его присутствия было достаточно, чтобы температура воздуха вокруг него казалась ниже, чем в остальном помещении. «Боже, какой же господин Бролов красавчик! - взволнованно прошептала Алина, не замечая явного смущения Виолетты. - У нас с ним одна фамилия, но почему мы такие разные? Эй, Виолетта, приём! Ты слушаешь?» Алина коснулась руки Виолетты, возвращая ту в реальность. Виолетта поспешна опустила голову, надеясь, что Вадим её не заметил. Однако, когда группа уже подходила к выходу, он вдруг сказал своему секретарю: «Выясни, кто вчера вечером заселился в номер 1501». Услышав эти цифры, Виолетта почувствовала, будто её ноги налились свинцом. Её разум полностью опустел, и она лишь смутно услышала восклицание Алины: «1501? Там же вчера ночевала Виолетта!» Громкий голос Алины привлёк внимание всех, включая Вадима. К счастью для Виолетты, он быстро потерял интерес и направился к двери, словно ничего не произошло. За ним последовала его свита, и все вместе они покинули отель. Как только они ушли, Алина вопросительно посмотрела на Виолетту. «Это довольно странно, не так ли? Почему господин Бролов интересуется твоей комнатой?» - озадачено спросила она. Виолетта облегчённо вздохнула и ответила: «Из моего номера открывается хороший вид. Может, он хочет там остановиться». «Серьёзно?» «Не забывай, что он генеральный директор!» Алина пожала плечами. Слова Виолетты имели смысл, поскольку она и Вадим принадлежали к двум совершенно разным мирам, и между ними ничего не могло произойти. Внезапно девушка замерла. Oна быстро пролистала документы в руках. «Чёрт!» Вероятно, она оставила контракт в номере 1501, когда поспешно сбегала...... ...... Что будет дальше? Количество глав здесь ограничено, нажмите на кнопку ниже, чтобы установить приложение и продолжить чтение более захватывающих глав! (Вы будете автоматически перенаправлены на книгу, когда откроете приложение) &6&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.litradnovie.com/14142418-fb_contact-	Love Story City	https://www.facebook.com/100083614308933/	19,426	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.litradnovie.com	IMAGE		https://fbweb.litradnovie.com/14142418-fb_contact-ruj95_2-0913-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=331118&accid=254141414030583&rawadid=120212259700500752	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/459736111_491106867224881_8703825540713506596_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hgQdeQxUzPsQ7kNvgGG91-7&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AUsvgi9m64ZVGWKOpu6Qi3E&oh=00_AYDd6DMqoF9ki_OTYlrc-hzZ_WRoH8jsyIoH4xgDOH-K5g&oe=670506A8	PERSON_PROFILE	Love Story City	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,590	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2083671}'	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	High-Precision Medical Pulse Oximeter	💪 “This compact, affordable oximeter could be a game-changer for your health and the well-being of those you care about.” - David K. Ready to take charge of your health? Our Finger Pulse Oximeter is an essential tool for monitoring oxygen levels and pulse rates with precision and ease. Whether you're an athlete, managing a health condition, or simply seeking reassurance, this device has you covered. 🔹 Precision You Can Trust - Accurate oxygen saturation and pulse rate readings in just seconds. 🔹 User-Friendly - Effortlessly clip it on your finger for immediate results. 🔹 Convenient and Portable - Lightweight and perfect for use at home, the gym, or on the go. 🔹 Versatile and Essential - Great for athletes, seniors, and anyone with respiratory or cardiovascular concerns. 🛒 Order Now to Elevate Your Health Monitoring! Don't leave your well-being to chance. Secure your peace of mind and safeguard your health with our highly recommended Finger Pulse Oximeter. Click the link to shop now and experience the benefits today! https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	SHOP_NOW	https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	US Home Shopping	https://www.facebook.com/61566939802106/	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	blackfridaysale-us.com	VIDEO		https://blackfridaysale-us.com/pulse-oximeter	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461889438_1081951943527818_3838437962927915655_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=wAWURs4NhsoQ7kNvgETyvxk&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AUsvgi9m64ZVGWKOpu6Qi3E&oh=00_AYCDWBHFbSrgf2fpoFgvwLXvgRIscvLwl6Mzful2IdsWlQ&oe=6704F92B	PERSON_PROFILE	US Home Shopping	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,593	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Read next chapter👉	As a junior assistant, she slept with the company's CEO. She was sure she would lose her job, but instead, her boss proposed to her: "Marry me!" ===== "Bethany, you should sleep with a handsome guy while you're still young, it's amazing! I highly recommend dabbling in something dirty while you're at it." Bethany Holt, away on a business trip and having had a little wine, lay in her hotel bed, on the verge of drifting off to sleep. However, as soon as she closed her eyes, the words of her best friend, Aimee Bates, replayed in her mind. In a month, she would turn twenty-six-and in all her years on this earth, she never had a boyfriend. She hadn't even kissed a man yet. It wasn't the first time Aimee had suggested it, but today, Bethany suddenly felt an inexplicable desire awakening inside of her. Bethany sat up in bed as this strange, new feeling grew unbearable. Subconsciously, she grabbed her phone. Having taken out her contact lenses, her vision was blurred and she couldn't see the screen clearly, but when she saw the familiar surname of her best friend, she tapped on it and sent her a message. "Send me some recommendations. I'm in the mood to watch what you just said." Seconds later, she received a reply. "?" Bethany frowned and, still drunk, joked, "Don't play ignorant! Either send me movies or send me a hot guy. I'm in Room 1501." After hitting send, Bethany waited expectantly for a reply, only to be met with crickets. Just as she was about to get out of bed for some water, the doorbell suddenly rang. She didn't think too much of it and walked right over. After all, Aimee wouldn't actually send a man to her room in the middle of the night, would she? As soon as she opened the door, Bethany went as stiff as a board. "Mr. Bates?" He seemed to have just taken a shower. His short hair was still dripping wet, and he was wearing nothing but a black silk robe. Because of his tall and strong frame, he towered over her and practically blocked the doorway. His handsome face was partially obscured in the darkness, his eyes no longer as indifferent and detached as usual. Instead, he looked like a hungry beast, staring at its prey. "Mr. Bates, what can I do for-" Before she could finish her sentence, she felt a pair of big hands grabbing the back of her head. The next second, she felt his rough lips pressed against hers. Bethany could taste the sickly sweetness of wine on his tongue. Before she could understand what was happening, she was thrown on the bed and the man climbed on top of her. It was obvious that Jonathan Bates was drunk. Otherwise, why would the CEO of Ensson Corporation come to a lowly assistant's hotel room? Bethany's first instinct was to fight back, but all of a sudden, she stopped struggling. It was her first time being with a man. Her alcohol-addled brain started to consider that maybe sleeping with such a handsome, rich, and powerful one would be a good thing. Jonathan wouldn't remember who she was, just like how he didn't remember that they were seat mates in junior high for nearly a year. As a low-level assistant at the company, Bethany rarely crossed paths with their CEO. No one would ever believe that she had slept with him. After mulling over it for a few seconds, she finally plucked up the courage to wrap her arms around his neck in the moonlight. Chapter 2 The Duality Of Jonathan Bates In the wee hours of the morning, Bethany woke up to find the man next to her still fast asleep. He was so close that his steady breath tickled her neck, making it hard for her to lie still. Oh, God! What had she done? She had slept with her boss! Eyes wide as saucers, Bethany held her breath and carefully extricated herself from his arms. Without a moment to lose, she quickly got dressed, packed her things, and ran to the hotel's front desk to check into another room. Wondering what the hell happened last night, she checked her phone and found that the dirty texts she had sent hadn't gone to her best friend, Aimee Bates. No, she had mistakenly texted someone else who had the same surname-Jonathan Bates, her boss and CEO of Ensson Corporation. A few years ago, at a junior high school reunion, the class monitor had created a chat group and asked everyone to add each other as friends. Bethany clearly remembered that it was Jonathan who had added her, but he never messaged her, and vice versa. Bethany ran her fingers through her wild hair in distress, unable to wrap her head around the fact that she had made such a stupid mistake. She checked into her new room and sat down, trying to calm herself down. Then, she decisively took out her phone and left the high school chat group. She changed her social media name from Bethany to Lily and replaced her profile picture with that of a stock photo of a random girl she downloaded from the Internet. Now, Jonathan wouldn't know who she was. She figured it wouldn't be necessary to unfriend Jonathan. And since Room 1501 was booked by the company, there were no traces that could lead to her. After taking these precautions, Bethany finally put her phone aside and went back to sleep. The next thing she knew, her alarm clock was blaring into her ears. Today, she had to go to Glora Company with her manager to discuss additional funding. The net value of the project had plummeted to its limit loss. The other party demanded replenishing, or they would sell the securities assets. In this emergency, the investment department was lucky to use Jonathan's private plane to fly to Degend for business. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Bethany hurried to the hotel lobby with the documents in hand. Shortly after, Aimee came downstairs, muttering unhappily, "Carson Smith insisted we weren't the replenishing party, but I went to the trust company and checked the contract. His name was clearly on the copy!" "Shh, Carson's coming. Don't let him hear you," Bethany warned. Just then, she noticed a tall man surrounded by a group of people walking out of the elevator. It was Jonathan. He had changed the silk robe he wore last night into a well-tailored black suit. His thick eyebrows were slightly furrowed, his thin lips tightly pursed as he listened to his secretary's report on something. As he walked across the lobby, he didn't even spare a glance at Bethany. Jonathan's cold demeanor was well-known in the business world. His sharp, handsome face was always reserved and arrogant. He didn't talk much, but his mere presence was enough to make the very air around him drop several hundred degrees. Bethany tried her best to recall, but the man in front of her seemed so different from the one who had kissed her so passionately last night. It seemed she might have remembered it all wrong. "Oh, my God, Mr. Bates is so handsome. I would literally die to sleep with him for just one night!" Aimee whispered to Bethany excitedly, failing to notice Bethany's visible discomfort. "We both have the same surname, but why is there such a huge gap between us? Hey, earth to Bethany! Hello?" Aimee touched Bethany's arm, snapping her back to reality. Bethany immediately lowered her head, trying to avoid being seen by Jonathan. But just as he and the group of people were about to reach the exit, he stopped in his tracks and said to his secretary, "Find out who was checked into Room 1501 last night." Hearing those numbers, Bethany felt as if her legs were filled with lead. Her mind went completely blank, and she could only vaguely hear Aimee exclaim, "1501? That's where Bethany slept last night!" Aimee's loud voice drew everyone's attention, including Jonathan's. Fortunately for Bethany, he quickly lost interest and headed for the door as though nothing happened. His entourage followed, and together, they all left the hotel. As soon as they were gone, Aimee poked Bethany with an inquisitive look in her eye. "That was weird, huh? Why would Mr. Bates be interested in your room?" Aimee was puzzled. She had expected something sensational to happen, but unexpectedly, Jonathan left as though the revelation meant nothing to him. Bethany breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "My room has a good view. Maybe he wants to stay there." "Seriously?" "Don't forget he's the CEO!" Aimee shrugged. Bethany's words made sense-since she and Jonathan were from two completely different worlds, nothing could have happened between them. "Do you think a gorgeous yet cold man like Mr. Bates is good in b*d?" she suddenly asked, wriggling her brows at Bethany playfully. Bethany was speechless. Aimee's fantasies were exaggerated, but as for his size... Bethany suddenly realized her mind was drifting off to more inappropriate thoughts. She shook her head, banishing those dirty images to the back of her brain. She blamed Aimee for being a bad influence. Suddenly, Bethany froze. She quickly flipped through the documents in her hand. "Damn it." She may left the project contract in Room 1501 when she hurriedly made her escape...... ...... As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?" What happens next? Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app) &9&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/58773322-fb_contact-e	Loving reading	https://www.facebook.com/100093132009618/	16,359	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	IMAGE		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/58773322-fb_contact-enj95_7-c1-0724-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=791750052879575&rawadid=120213031586680758	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/460624501_893934232168876_6472052768421422766_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=R1L6MWHKgXsQ7kNvgGBanom&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AUsvgi9m64ZVGWKOpu6Qi3E&oh=00_AYDT3BDn01QkA0r-2vc-JujhRzXVDxc2V--Pw-GIjbSrSg&oe=670513F5	PERSON_PROFILE	Loving reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,619	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	El lamento de amor	Liberada del papel de sustituta, su carrera se disparó hasta convertirse en una diseñadora de renombre mundial. Rodeada de una multitud de pretendientes, el hombre que una vez creyó que ella no podría vivir sin él se puso nervioso... ===== "¡Miren esa cara y ese cuerpo! Si la obligamos a trabajar como p**stituta, ¡podría ganar fácilmente por lo menos cien mil al día!". Kaitlin Hewitt se encontraba retenida en un edificio abandonado, hay heridas en la frente. Su ropa estaba rota y desaliñada, un testimonio de su inútil resistencia. Dos días atrás, una misteriosa llamada la arrastró a esta pesadilla. La persona que la llamó afirmó conocer a sus padres biológicos, e incluso mencionó detalles específicos sobre su cuerpo que solo ella sabía. La atrajeron a las afueras de la ciudad, y acabó en las garras de esos matones. "No hagan nada precipitado… Puedo pagarles la cantidad que quieran", afirmó la muchacha con voz firme a pesar de la sangre que goteaba de la comisura de sus labios. "Soy la esposa de Alan Hewitt, sea cual sea el rescate, él puede permitírselo". "¡¿Alan Hewitt?!". La revelación golpeó a los hombres como un rayo, provocando miradas de desconcierto entre ellos. "¿Él está casado? Nunca lo había oído". Alan Hewitt era un hombre poderoso en Osewood, cuya mera reprobación podía enviar oleadas de conmoción a toda la ciudad. Si de hecho tenían a su esposa, la ira de aquel hombre podría aniquilarlos sin esfuerzo. Notando la incertidumbre en las expresiones de los hombres, Kaitlin se serenó y dijo: "No diré que me secuestraron. Déjenme ir y les aseguro que recibirán el dinero sano y salvo". El líder del grupo la observó detenidamente, fijándose en su costoso vestido de diseño y sus llamativos rasgos, y titubeó un poco. Era evidente que su prenda era cara y ella atractiva, así que tenía sentido que un pez gordo de la talla de Alan la tomara como esposa. Tras una breve y atenta mirada a sus cómplices, habló en tono gélido: "Dame su número, y sin trucos. Si tratas de engañarme, te haré pagar!" Kaitlin dijo con debilidad un número de teléfono. El líder intentó marcar el número, pero la llamada se cortó de repente. Frustrado, gritó: "¡¿Estás jugando conmigo?! ¡Ni siquiera contestó!". Quitó el color de la cara a la muchacha y su voz se fue apagando. "No atiende las llamadas de un extraño… Por favor, déjame usar mi celular para llamarlo...". "¡Típica gente rica y sus excentricidades!", masculló el líder. Tras dudar un momento, le dio el celular a la chica y gruñó: "¡Dile que envíe doscientos millones! ¡Si no, no te la vas a llevar fácil!". Los dedos de Kaitlin temblaron al marcar, con el corazón acelerado. A pesar de llevar tres años casada con Alan, sabía que a él no le importaba ella; sin embargo, siempre había sido generoso, lo que le daba a la mujer una pizca de esperanza. ¿Pagaría el rescate? El timbre del teléfono parecía no tener fin, sus nudillos palidecían mientras lo agarraba con fuerza. Por fin contestó una voz, pero no era la de Alan, sino la de una mujer. La que contestó no era otra que la renombrada diseñadora Lilliana Willis, hermana menor de la chica a la que Alan amaba. "¿Kaitlin? Alan y yo estamos visitando la tumba de Ashley, ¿qué necesitas?". Se oyó la voz de Lilliana, y un temblor recorrió la mano de Kaitlin. Ella encontró que lo que estaba sucediendo era irónico. Era su tercer aniversario de boda y la habían secuestrado. Pasaron dos días y su esposo todavía no se había dado cuenta, sino que pasaba el tiempo junto a la tumba de su primer amor. Le dolió el corazón, pensando en las razones de aquel hombre para casarse con ella: su abuela, Beth Hewitt, ansiaba tener bisnietos, y Kaitlin tenía un inquietante parecido con su amor verdadero, Ashley Willis, que murió en un deslizamiento de tierra tres años antes Al darse cuenta de que no era más que una mera sustituta, a la chica se le rompió el corazón; sin embargo, no era momento para la angustia. Kaitlin luchó por contener las lágrimas y el dolor que se hacía evidente en su voz al pronunciar: "Señorita Willis, me urge hablar con Alan. Por favor, ¿podrías pasarle el celular?". Lilliana dejó escapar una risita. "Oh, Kaitlin, ya sabes cómo es Alan. Hoy es el aniversario del fallecimiento de Ashley, así que no está de humor para tu drama. ¿Por qué no me cuentas lo que pasa?". Mordiendo su frustración al notar la creciente impaciencia de los secuestradores, Kaitlin alzó la voz y gritó al celular: "¡Necesito hablar con Alan! ¡Ahora mismo! ¡Soy su esposa y no tienes derecho a impedírmelo!". No se atrevió a mencionar el secuestro, temiendo que los secuestradores entraran en pánico y le hicieran daño, pero su tono asertivo pareció surtir efecto, pues oyó pasos de fondo y luego se escuchó la voz de Alan. "¿Quién es?". Lilliana, fingiendo disgusto, tapó el auricular y susurró: "Es Kaitlin, insiste en hablar contigo. Le dije que estamos visitando la tumba de Ashley, pero se enfadó bastante y reclamó sus derechos como tu esposa...". Alan se burló con desdén. "¿Esposa? ¿Acaso cuenta como tal? No es más que una doble. Cuelga. Hablar con ella solo perturbará la tranquilidad de Ashley". Con un pitido escalofriante, la comunicación se cortó, y Kaitlin sintió que sus esperanzas se hacían añicos. Capítulo 2 No le des demasiada importancia Pero, ¡Kaitlin sí era la esposa de Alan! A pesar de su falta de cariño, ¿realmente podía quedarse tan indiferente ante su firme dedicación durante todos los últimos tres años? Alan la rescató del océano y, al recobrar el conocimiento, ella le confesó su amnesia, lo que provocó que él la acogiera. Quizá el hombre pensaba que se había casado con él porque no tenía a dónde ir, y que no podía valerse por sí misma; sin embargo, ignoraba que ella se enamoró de él desde su primer encuentro, como si estuviera hechizada. Kaitlin se negaba a compararse con alguien fallecido, pero Ashley era una fuente continua de dolor en su matrimonio, apuñalando su corazón una y otra vez y, tras tres años aguantando, lo único que tenía para mostrar era un corazón destrozado. "Dices que eres la esposa de Alan Hewitt, ¡y sin embargo ni siquiera responde a tus llamadas!". El líder del grupo la tiró del pelo, "Temíamos que los Hewitt tomaran represalias, pero está claro que no les importas, ¡así que somos libres de hacer lo que queramos! Vengan, chicos, ¡a disfrutar! "¿A quién le importa si esa mujer es la esposa de Alan Hewitt?" El agudo dolor en el cuero cabelludo provocó un gemido de parte de la muchacha y, al ver las sonrisas viles en los rostros de sus secuestradores, cerró las manos en puños. Estaba decidida a resistirse, aunque eso significara su muerte y, cuando se acercaron, se abalanzó sobre el hombre más cercano y lo golpeó en el abdomen. Aprovechando el momento, corrió hacia una ventana parcialmente abierta, y la cabeza le daba vueltas la frente mientras perdía el conocimiento... "La situación de la paciente está estable, pero tiene un traumatismo craneal grave. No sabemos cuándo recuperará el conocimiento". "Menos mal que las fuerzas especiales ya estaban tras su pista, si no, quién sabe...". Voces suaves e indistintas la rodeaban y, luchando por recobrar el sentido, Kaitlin abrió los ojos y vio un borrón blanco. El penetrante olor a desinfectante inundó sus sentidos y, a través de la bruma, captó el murmullo del asistente de Alan. "Gracias, doctor". ¿Aún estaba viva? Poco a poco, recuperó la conciencia. "¡Señora Hewitt, ¿está despierta?!". El asistente se percató de que se agitaba y se apresuró a acercarse, inquiriendo con voz preocupada: "¿Está bien?". Kaitlin echó un vistazo a la estéril habitación del hospital, su voz era apenas un susurro al decir: "¿Dónde está Alan?". La cara del ayudante se tensó y, tras un momento de vacilación, murmuró: "Él… tuvo que ocuparse de algo. Puede que venga más tarde". Kaitlin se sintió abrumada por la decepción. ¿Había algo más urgente? ¿De verdad no le importaba en lo absoluto? ¿Podía serle tan indiferente a que ella sobreviviera en tal accidente? Con voz áspera, murmuró: "Ya veo… Puedes irte... Gracias por venir". El asistente se detuvo, como si quisiera añadir algo más, pero recordando las severas órdenes de su jefe, guardó silencio y salió de la habitación. Al quedarse sola, Kaitlin yacía en la cama del hospital, con el corazón oprimido por una escalofriante tristeza que se extendía por todo su pecho, enfrentándose a la dura realidad de que su esposo no la amaba, a pesar de que intentaba convencerse de que tal vez estaba ocupado con algo urgente. Sin embargo, en ese momento, la puerta de su habitación se abrió de nuevo, la chica pensó que era el asistente que volvía. Para su sorpresa, era Lilliana. Kaitlin entornó los ojos y cerró los puños. "Señorita Willis, ¿qué haces aquí?". La voz de Lilliana fue suave, teñida de una dulzura burlona. "Me enteré de tu secuestro y tus heridas, Kaitlin. Me preocupé tanto que tuve que venir a ver cómo estabas. Me recuerdas tanto a mi hermana… Siempre he sentido un vínculo especial contigo". El mensaje era claro para Kaitlin: Lilliana le recordaba sutilmente su lugar como mera sustituta de su hermana. "Si ella pudiera verte ahora, fingiendo ser dulce e inocente delante de su prometido, me pregunto qué pensaría tu querida hermana", respondió con sarcasmo. "Apenas somos conocidas, así que no hace falta tu visita". Un destello de sorpresa y fastidio pasó por el rostro de Lilliana, pero rápidamente enmascarado por una expresión de pena. "Kaitlin, ¿te molesta mi cercanía con Alan?". Puso una expresión inocente. "Solo somos amigos. Me está cuidando por mi hermana, así que no le des demasiada importancia". Su fachada le dio náuseas a Kaitlin. Al principio, la creía de verdad y no sentía ninguna animosidad hacia ella; no obstante, con el paso del tiempo esta chica usó sin cesar el nombre de Ashley, manipulando a Alan y sembrando la discordia con planes mezquinos entre la pareja. ¿Cómo no pudo ver la intención de la mujer? "No me interesa saber cuál es tu relación con él", afirmó con un tono escalofriante. "Te agradecería que te marcharas ahora y que te guardaras tus actuaciones para tus admiradores, pues a mí no me sirven de nada". Las lágrimas brotaron de los ojos de Lilliana, mostrando un profundo dolor agraviado. Se levantó y dejó caer a propósito su celular, que aterrizó frente a Kaitlin. Entonces la pantalla se iluminó, mostrando un chat, y apareció una imagen que mostraba a Lilliana siendo llevada por Alan mientras entraban en un hotel al amparo de la noche. Parecían estar impecablemente hechos el uno para el otro, y los mensajes que siguieron a la imagen fueron igual de impactantes. "¿No es ese su novio, señorita Willis? ¡Es muy guapo!". "¿Qué? ¿La señorita Willis tiene novio? ¡Me acaban de romper el corazón!". Kaitlin sintió un escalofrío recorrerle los dedos. ¿Así que se fueron a un hotel después de visitar la tumba de Ashley la noche anterior? Mientras ella luchaba por su vida, ¿qué hacía su esposo? ¿La Lilliana usaba como sustituta de Ashley mientras se? La idea le dio asco y, temblando sin control, levantó la cabeza para encontrarse con la mirada de Lilliana, sus ojos ardiendo de ira y dolor. Capítulo 3 Recuerda tu lugar "Kaitlin, por favor, escucha. No es lo que piensas… Es que nosotros...", pronunció Lilliana mientras agarraba su celular, con una mezcla de tristeza fingida y desafío en la mirada. La rabia de Kaitlin se desbordó y la empujó fuerte. "¡Fuera de aquí! ¡¿De qué estás tan orgullosa?! ¿De destruir mi matrimonio? ¡¿Cómo puedes ser tan desvergonzada?!". Lilliana retrocedió a trompicones, y su mano golpeó adrede la pierna herida de Kaitlin al caer contra la cama del hospital. El dolor de su pierna era tan intensa, nublándole la vista con lágrimas y, cuando alargó el brazo para apartar a la otra mujer, una mano fuerte le sujetó la muñeca. "Kaitlin, ¿te volviste loca?". La voz fría y severa de Alan cortó el caos. Kaitlin levantó la vista y lo vio, aún vestido con el sombrío traje negro de la foto que había visto antes, con el cansancio y la ira grabados en el rostro. Seguía siendo el mismo hombre alto y apuesto, pero a Kaitlin le parecía ahora por completo repulsivo. "¿Soy yo la que se volvió loca?", siseó ella, enfatizando cada palabra. "Tu amante se ha estado burlando de mí en mi cara, ¿cómo podría yo no reaccionar? ¡Me das asco, Alan!". La cara del varón se ensombreció de furia al encontrarse con la mirada furibunda y llena de lágrimas de Kaitlin. Había estado despierto toda la noche ocupándose de los secuestradores, sin un momento de descanso, solo para llegar al hospital y encontrarse a su esposa gritándole otra vez por Lilliana. Su asistente le informó de que estaba malherida, pero allí estaba ella, aparentemente más vigorosa que él. "Kaitlin, ¿intentas poner a prueba mi paciencia?". Espetó con tono gélido: "Discúlpate con Lilliana, ¡ya!". Hizo que Kaitlin se estremeciera, pero el dolor en su corazón fue más insoportable. De ninguna manera se disculparía. "¿Por qué exactamente?". Su voz sonaba ronca mientras protestaba. "¿Porque interrumpí tu luto por tu amada mientras yo estaba a punto de morir?Alan, aunque tu corazón no me pertenece, ¿no puedes al menos mostrarme el respeto que se le debe a una esposa?". Las venas palpitaban en la frente de Alan, y su apretón se hizo más fuerte, con sus nudillos blanqueándose. "¡Ya basta! ¡¿Cómo te atreves a mencionarla?!". El grito de Alan resonó mientras empujaba a Kaitlin contra la cama, como un dragón furioso. "¡Recuerda tu lugar! Haz lo que te ordeno, ¡ahora!". Su espalda se golpeó contra el cabecero, encendiendo sus heridas no curadas con un dolor insoportable. Se le llenaron los ojos de lágrimas y le dificultaba respirar. ¿Cuál era en realidad su lugar? ¿Solo su esposa simbólica, un peón para sus deseos, o una sustituta de Ashley? Ninguno de esos papeles tenía verdadera importancia. Alan se fijó en sus ojos rojos y se dio cuenta de que seguía sufriendo a causa de las heridas, así que aflojó el agarre, a punto de hablar, pero Lilliana lo agarró del brazo de repente. "¡Alan, Kaitlin sigue herida! Y debe de estar asustada después del secuestro. Por favor, no seas tan duro con ella. Si pegarme la hace sentir mejor, puedo soportarlo. Lo peor que podría pasar es que tuviera que cancelar mis próximas entrevistas y colaboraciones". Lo miró con expresión de sincera comprensión. "Habla con ella". Alan, controlando su enfado, retiró con cuidado la mano y habló en voz baja: "Tú también necesitas descansar. Vete a casa a dormir, yo resolveré esto. Y no te preocupes por el trabajo que puedas perder, te encontraré oportunidades aún mejores". Lilliana asintió, lanzó una mirada cautelosa a Kaitlin y salió de la habitación con una leve sonrisa de satisfacción. Las diferentes actitudes de Alan hacia ella y Lilliana dejaron a Kaitlin más fría y, a pesar de tener el cuerpo lleno de heridas, Alan parecía ajeno a ellas. Sin embargo, con solo unas palabras de Lilliana, su ira se disolvía. Era ridículo. Tras tres años de matrimonio, comprendió por fin cuál era su posición ante Alan. "Kaitlin, ya que estás herida, no quiero discutir", dijo el varón con frialdad, dejándola caer de nuevo sobre la cama. "No se lo cuentes a la abuela. Cuando te den el alta, tú...". Kaitlin intervino sin emoción: "Cuando me den el alta, nos divorciaremos". Se quitó el preciado anillo de boda y lo arrojó a sus pies. "En estos tres años, ya he devuelto tu amabilidad por salvarme". Alan se paralizó y se quedó mirando el anillo con expresión atónita e incrédula, y al cabo de un momento, se acercó, le apretó la muñeca con fuerza y le preguntó: "¡¿Qué dijiste?!" "¿Cuándo empezaste a tener problemas de oído?", replicó la muchacha, dejando que él tirara de ella más cerca. "Me cansé de ser una sustituta. Nuestro matrimonio se terminó". Los ojos de Alan se oscurecieron, y sus rasgos se nublaron de rabia. Capítulo 4 Voy a divorciarme El ambiente de la habitación era tenso, y la voz de Alan cortó el silencio como el hielo. "Kaitlin, ¿cómo se te ocurre sugerir el divorcio como una broma?". Ella le sostuvo la mirada con una resolución recién descubierta, y la mujer tímida y complaciente que solía ser ya no estaba a la vista. "Alan, esto no es ninguna broma. Acordamos tres años de matrimonio. Cuando me den el alta, tendré listos los papeles del divorcio. No quiero nada de ti, ni un céntimo, y a partir de ese momento seguiré mi propio camino". Un intenso rubor se extendió por el rostro de Alan, cuyos ojos ardían de furia. "Kaitlin, ¡¿cómo te atreves?!", él la susurrando con tono amenazador: "¡¿Quieres el divorcio?! ¡¿Crees que puedes arreglártelas sola ahí fuera?!". La respuesta de la muchacha fue tranquila y serena. "Estoy en perfecto estado de salud y en pleno uso de mis facultades mentales, ¿por qué no podría arreglármelas sola?". Alan apretó los dientes y la miró con frialdad, pero ella no se inmutó y sus labios se curvaron en una sonrisa desdeñosa. "¿No quieres separarte? No soy más que una sustituta, seguro que no has desarrollado sentimientos por mí. Profesas tu amor por Ashley, pero aquí estás, utilizando a otra mujer para reemplazarla. ¿No es absurdo?". La mano de Alan tembló de rabia, con las venas saltando. "¿Quién te crees que eres al pensar en que no quiero dejarte ir?". "Bien", respondió Kaitlin, con una sonrisa tensa pero decidida mientras luchaba contra su dolor interior. "Me pondré en contacto contigo para lo del divorcio. Y luego si me pasara algo ahí fuera, no es de tu incertidumbre". Alan se quedó de pie, con el pecho hinchado de rabia y los hombros anchos temblando mientras una expresión de aturdimiento nublaba su rostro. La repentina ferocidad de Kaitlin y su férrea determinación le recordaron a alguien que conocía. Ashley tenía ese mismo espíritu agudo e inflexible. Pero ahora esa mujer quería dejarlo. ¿Cómo podía ella siquiera pensar en algo así? "Bien, estaré esperando", escupió el hombre con frialdad y, con un enérgico giro, salió furioso, cerrando la puerta tras de sí con un sonoro golpe. ¿Cómo podía Kaitlin, una mera huérfana amnésica, arreglárselas sin él? Se burló de la idea, curioso por saber cuánto tiempo podría aguantar. La habitación volvió a quedar en silencio, dejando a la muchacha perdida. Oyó el sonido difuso de los pasos de Alan mientras las lágrimas empezaban a correr por su rostro, abrasándole la piel como el fuego. Esto era el fin, la absurda obsesión y el interpretar el papel de otra persona durante tres años por fin terminaban. Se envolvió en la manta, tratando de evitar el frío, pero su corazón seguía helado y hueco, como desgarrado en pedazos, sin dejar nada más que un desastre destrozado. Tres días más tarde, salió del hospital, redactó los papeles del divorcio y los envió a la empresa de Alan. Kaitlin accedió entonces a su cuenta de Twitter y compartió un post. "He vuelto". ...... ¿Qué sucederá en adelante? Los capítulos disponibles son limitados aquí, haga click el botón abajo para instalar APP y disfrutar leyendo más contenidos maravillosos. (Al abrir el APP, directo accederá a este libro) &5&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.manobook.com/14127375-fb_contact-spp	Mobo-Reader：Funny Reading	https://www.facebook.com/100077707484555/	38,988	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.manobook.com	IMAGE		https://fbweb.manobook.com/14127375-fb_contact-spp57_2-0907-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=331118&accid=256775013418311&rawadid=120214286076740131	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/459735651_2815712725268168_1165269177252774866_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=uCXIaK53NlsQ7kNvgHRMooX&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Acy_kQwBhlM6RoZpkoIaKcs&oh=00_AYALy2Z8MCFh8ht72qd2--74cPtwtflgAlChwquevC5BZA&oe=6705262A	PERSON_PROFILE	Mobo-Reader：Funny Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,606	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Read next chapter👉	As a junior assistant, she slept with the company's CEO. She was sure she would lose her job, but instead, her boss proposed to her: "Marry me!" ===== "Bethany, you should sleep with a handsome guy while you're still young, it's amazing! I highly recommend dabbling in something dirty while you're at it." Bethany Holt, away on a business trip and having had a little wine, lay in her hotel bed, on the verge of drifting off to sleep. However, as soon as she closed her eyes, the words of her best friend, Aimee Bates, replayed in her mind. In a month, she would turn twenty-six-and in all her years on this earth, she never had a boyfriend. She hadn't even kissed a man yet. It wasn't the first time Aimee had suggested it, but today, Bethany suddenly felt an inexplicable desire awakening inside of her. Bethany sat up in bed as this strange, new feeling grew unbearable. Subconsciously, she grabbed her phone. Having taken out her contact lenses, her vision was blurred and she couldn't see the screen clearly, but when she saw the familiar surname of her best friend, she tapped on it and sent her a message. "Send me some recommendations. I'm in the mood to watch what you just said." Seconds later, she received a reply. "?" Bethany frowned and, still drunk, joked, "Don't play ignorant! Either send me movies or send me a hot guy. I'm in Room 1501." After hitting send, Bethany waited expectantly for a reply, only to be met with crickets. Just as she was about to get out of bed for some water, the doorbell suddenly rang. She didn't think too much of it and walked right over. After all, Aimee wouldn't actually send a man to her room in the middle of the night, would she? As soon as she opened the door, Bethany went as stiff as a board. "Mr. Bates?" He seemed to have just taken a shower. His short hair was still dripping wet, and he was wearing nothing but a black silk robe. Because of his tall and strong frame, he towered over her and practically blocked the doorway. His handsome face was partially obscured in the darkness, his eyes no longer as indifferent and detached as usual. Instead, he looked like a hungry beast, staring at its prey. "Mr. Bates, what can I do for-" Before she could finish her sentence, she felt a pair of big hands grabbing the back of her head. The next second, she felt his rough lips pressed against hers. Bethany could taste the sickly sweetness of wine on his tongue. Before she could understand what was happening, she was thrown on the bed and the man climbed on top of her. It was obvious that Jonathan Bates was drunk. Otherwise, why would the CEO of Ensson Corporation come to a lowly assistant's hotel room? Bethany's first instinct was to fight back, but all of a sudden, she stopped struggling. It was her first time being with a man. Her alcohol-addled brain started to consider that maybe sleeping with such a handsome, rich, and powerful one would be a good thing. Jonathan wouldn't remember who she was, just like how he didn't remember that they were seat mates in junior high for nearly a year. As a low-level assistant at the company, Bethany rarely crossed paths with their CEO. No one would ever believe that she had slept with him. After mulling over it for a few seconds, she finally plucked up the courage to wrap her arms around his neck in the moonlight. Chapter 2 The Duality Of Jonathan Bates In the wee hours of the morning, Bethany woke up to find the man next to her still fast asleep. He was so close that his steady breath tickled her neck, making it hard for her to lie still. Oh, God! What had she done? She had slept with her boss! Eyes wide as saucers, Bethany held her breath and carefully extricated herself from his arms. Without a moment to lose, she quickly got dressed, packed her things, and ran to the hotel's front desk to check into another room. Wondering what the hell happened last night, she checked her phone and found that the dirty texts she had sent hadn't gone to her best friend, Aimee Bates. No, she had mistakenly texted someone else who had the same surname-Jonathan Bates, her boss and CEO of Ensson Corporation. A few years ago, at a junior high school reunion, the class monitor had created a chat group and asked everyone to add each other as friends. Bethany clearly remembered that it was Jonathan who had added her, but he never messaged her, and vice versa. Bethany ran her fingers through her wild hair in distress, unable to wrap her head around the fact that she had made such a stupid mistake. She checked into her new room and sat down, trying to calm herself down. Then, she decisively took out her phone and left the high school chat group. She changed her social media name from Bethany to Lily and replaced her profile picture with that of a stock photo of a random girl she downloaded from the Internet. Now, Jonathan wouldn't know who she was. She figured it wouldn't be necessary to unfriend Jonathan. And since Room 1501 was booked by the company, there were no traces that could lead to her. After taking these precautions, Bethany finally put her phone aside and went back to sleep. The next thing she knew, her alarm clock was blaring into her ears. Today, she had to go to Glora Company with her manager to discuss additional funding. The net value of the project had plummeted to its limit loss. The other party demanded replenishing, or they would sell the securities assets. In this emergency, the investment department was lucky to use Jonathan's private plane to fly to Degend for business. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Bethany hurried to the hotel lobby with the documents in hand. Shortly after, Aimee came downstairs, muttering unhappily, "Carson Smith insisted we weren't the replenishing party, but I went to the trust company and checked the contract. His name was clearly on the copy!" "Shh, Carson's coming. Don't let him hear you," Bethany warned. Just then, she noticed a tall man surrounded by a group of people walking out of the elevator. It was Jonathan. He had changed the silk robe he wore last night into a well-tailored black suit. His thick eyebrows were slightly furrowed, his thin lips tightly pursed as he listened to his secretary's report on something. As he walked across the lobby, he didn't even spare a glance at Bethany. Jonathan's cold demeanor was well-known in the business world. His sharp, handsome face was always reserved and arrogant. He didn't talk much, but his mere presence was enough to make the very air around him drop several hundred degrees. Bethany tried her best to recall, but the man in front of her seemed so different from the one who had kissed her so passionately last night. It seemed she might have remembered it all wrong. "Oh, my God, Mr. Bates is so handsome. I would literally die to sleep with him for just one night!" Aimee whispered to Bethany excitedly, failing to notice Bethany's visible discomfort. "We both have the same surname, but why is there such a huge gap between us? Hey, earth to Bethany! Hello?" Aimee touched Bethany's arm, snapping her back to reality. Bethany immediately lowered her head, trying to avoid being seen by Jonathan. But just as he and the group of people were about to reach the exit, he stopped in his tracks and said to his secretary, "Find out who was checked into Room 1501 last night." Hearing those numbers, Bethany felt as if her legs were filled with lead. Her mind went completely blank, and she could only vaguely hear Aimee exclaim, "1501? That's where Bethany slept last night!" Aimee's loud voice drew everyone's attention, including Jonathan's. Fortunately for Bethany, he quickly lost interest and headed for the door as though nothing happened. His entourage followed, and together, they all left the hotel. As soon as they were gone, Aimee poked Bethany with an inquisitive look in her eye. "That was weird, huh? Why would Mr. Bates be interested in your room?" Aimee was puzzled. She had expected something sensational to happen, but unexpectedly, Jonathan left as though the revelation meant nothing to him. Bethany breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "My room has a good view. Maybe he wants to stay there." "Seriously?" "Don't forget he's the CEO!" Aimee shrugged. Bethany's words made sense-since she and Jonathan were from two completely different worlds, nothing could have happened between them. "Do you think a gorgeous yet cold man like Mr. Bates is good in b*d?" she suddenly asked, wriggling her brows at Bethany playfully. Bethany was speechless. Aimee's fantasies were exaggerated, but as for his size... Bethany suddenly realized her mind was drifting off to more inappropriate thoughts. She shook her head, banishing those dirty images to the back of her brain. She blamed Aimee for being a bad influence. Suddenly, Bethany froze. She quickly flipped through the documents in her hand. "Damn it." She may left the project contract in Room 1501 when she hurriedly made her escape...... ...... As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?" What happens next? Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app) &9&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/58773322-fb_contact-e	Loving reading	https://www.facebook.com/100093132009618/	16,359	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	VIDEO		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/58773322-fb_contact-enj95_7-c1-0724-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=791750052879575&rawadid=120213031343890758	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/460743261_870438421393072_5556798590561855254_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=-GD0bTRt8XgQ7kNvgGeA-Ti&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AUsvgi9m64ZVGWKOpu6Qi3E&oh=00_AYCSlG7nz-2_O0FuhX3JGTjFG7RTVoCBcTXZrs0XZTu2IQ&oe=6704F97E	PERSON_PROFILE	Loving reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,628	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	Читать следующую главу👉	Днем они незнакомые начальники и подчиненные. Ночью только она знала, насколько он сумасшедший. До этого дня никто не знал об их отношениях... ===== Глава 1 Разлука укрепляет чувства Из ванной доносился шум воды. Регина и Марат были тайно женаты в течение двух лет. Мужчина был её начальником на работе, генеральным директором Шестаков Групп. Их роман закрутился очень быстро. Регина устроилась на работу в компанию, а их с Маратом происходит первый интимный контакт в ночь после вечеринки. Пара подписала брачный договор, решив скрыть этот брак от общественности, поскольку их союз мог быть расторгнут в любой момент. Да, этот поступок кажется неразумным, однако на тот момент Регина считала себя настоящей счастливицей. Никогда она не могла и подумать о том, что когда-нибудь выйдет замуж за человека, в которого была влюблена восемь лет. На предложение Марата она согласилась даже не раздумывая. После свадьбы мужчина был очень занят – большую часть времени он проводил за работой. Регине хотела, чтобы он больше оставался с ней дома, однако она была уверена в своём муже, поскольку за последние несколько лет о нём не прошло ни единого слуха о романе с женщинами. Если не брать в учёт его некоторое безразличие, Марат был идеальным мужем. Увидев результат теста на беременность, Регина испытала смешанные чувства. В конце концов она решилась сказать мужу правду. Ещё ей хотелось рассказать ему, что два года назад они встретились не впервые, и что до этого она любила его много лет. Вода в ванной наконец-то затихла. Как только Марат вышел, зазвонил его телефон. Мужчина вышел на балкон с одним лишь банным полотенцем на бёдрах и ответил на звонок. Регина взглянула на часы – полночь. Она пребывала в смятении. Кто мог позвонить Марату в столь поздний час? Мужчина провёл на балконе несколько минут, а затем вернулся в комнату и снял полотенце. Фигура Марата была впечатляющей. На его животе красовались кубики, ноги были длинными, а плечи крепкими и мускулистыми. Оторвать от этого мужчины взгляд было невозможно! Регина видела его обнажённым не впервые, но краснела каждый раз, а её сердце начинало колотиться в бешеном темпе. Марат, не обращая внимания на блуждающий взгляд Регины, взял с кровати рубашку и брюки от костюма. Он оделся и тонкими пальцами завязал галстук. Его красивое лицо с чёткими очертаниями придавало его ауре властность. Однако сейчас мужчине пора было идти. «Не жди меня. Спокойной ночи», – сказал он. Что? Куда он собрался в такой час? Регина крепче сжала тест на беременность, разочарованно глядя на мужа. Её сердце заполнила печаль. Пораздумав, она осторожно пробормотала: «Но ведь уже так поздно...» Пальцы Марата замерли на галстуке. Со слабой улыбкой он и ущипнул девушку за мочку уха: «Веди себя хорошо, ладно? У меня появились дела. Не жди». С этими словами мужчина направился к двери. «Марат?» Девушка быстро побежала и догнала его. Марат обернулся и серьёзно посмотрел на неё. «В чём дело?» Его тон был холодным. Ледяное облако нависло над парой, пока они смотрели друг на друга. Расстроенная, Регина тихо спросила: «Я хотела навестить бабушку завтра. Ты можешь поехать со мной?» Хрупкая и больная бабушка всегда была рада приезду внучки. Регина хотела познакомить её с Маратом, чтобы заверить, что они счастливы в браке. «Давай решим завтра, ладно?» Так и не дав ответа, Марат поспешно ушёл. Разные мысли крутились в голове девушки, когда она приняла душ и вернулась в постель. Она долго не могла заснуть. На её телефон пришло несколько уведомлений из некоторых интернет-блогов. В новости говорилось: «Знаменитая дизайнер Елена Фадеева была замечена в аэропорту с загадочным парнем». На Елене была гламурная шляпа. Фигура мужчины была расплывчатой, но даже по очертаниям стало ясно, что тот был не промах. Регина увеличила изображение. В следующую секунду её сердце упало в пятки. Мужчиной на фотографии оказался Марат! Значит, он отменил дневную встречу только ради того, чтобы забрать из аэропорта свою бывшую девушку? Разволновавшись, Регина почувствовала боль в животе. Её руки задрожали. Словно на автомате она набрала номер Марата. Звук гудков привёл её в чувство. Когда девушка собиралась повесить трубку, линия соединилась, и на другом конце послышалось: «Алло!» Это был особенно нежный женский голос. Регина замерла, а затем быстро отбросила телефон. Внезапно она почувствовала позыв тошноты. К её горлу подступила желчь. Прикрыв рот, она побежала в ванную, и её вырвало в унитаз. На следующее утро Регина пришла на работу вовремя. Когда они поженились, Марат пытался уговорить её уволиться. Однако девушка упрямо настаивала на том, чтобы зарабатывать собственные деньги. Мужчина не стал возражать, но попросил её работать его помощницей, которая могла взять на себя часть обязанностей. Главному помощнику, Матвею Анисимову, было поручено заниматься основными делами Марата. Он был единственным сотрудником компании, знавшим о браке Марата и Регины. В это время один из коллег Регины вручил ей документ и приказал отнести его в офис Марата. Прошлым вечером Марат так и не вернулся домой. Всю ночь она думала о женщине, которая ответила на звонок. Неужели Марат провёл ночь с ней? Девушка старалась сохранять спокойствие. Она рассудила – что бы ни случилось, она заслужила брак с мужчиной, которого жаждала долгие годы. Её страдания не могли быть напрасными, ведь так? Она нажала кнопку лифта и поднялась в кабинет генерального директора. Прежде чем выйти из лифта, Регина пригладила волосы, чтобы убедиться, что хорошо выглядит. Она пришла в офис и заметила, что дверь была приоткрыта. Раздался мужской голос, и девушка мгновенно остановилась. «Хорош тебе, мужик! У тебя вообще есть чувства к Регине?» Голос принадлежал Давиду Титову, другу детства Марата. «Что ты имеешь в виду?» – холодным тоном спросил Марат. «Ты точно знаешь, что я имею в виду! – Давид нетерпеливо щёлкнул языком. – Мне кажется, что Регина хорошая девушка. Разве она не в твоём вкусе?» «Ты хочешь, чтобы я передал её тебе?» – небрежно спросил Марат. «Ладно, забудь об этом!» Презрительный смех Давида прозвучал в ушах Регины особенно резко. О ней говорили, как о предмете. Девушка глубоко вздохнула и крепче сжала документ. Вскоре голос Давида послышался снова. «Кстати, утром я видел новости о загадочном парне Лены. Это ведь был ты, да?» «Да». «Так-так-так! Значит, эта женщина до сих пор держит тебя рядом. А ты только рад доставить ей удовольствие!» Давид вздохнул и продолжил дразнить Марата. «Вы провели ночь вместе. Как говорится, разлука укрепляет чувства. Скажи, вы...» Их разговор был подобен грому, грянувшему над головой Регины. Её лицо побледнело, а конечности онемели. Елена и Марат провели ночь вместе! Разлука укрепляет чувства! Каждое из этих слов вонзало нож в её сердце. Эти фразы эхом отдавались в её голове. Регина вдруг почувствовала головокружение, а её зрение стало размытым. Она схватилась за стену и сделала шаг назад. Внезапно дверь открылась изнутри. «Регина?» Глава 2 Невзаимная любовь Дверь открыл Давид, который собирался уходить. Регина сложила руки, повернулась к нему и кивнула. «Доброе утро, господин Титов!» Не дожидаясь ответа на приветствие, девушка прошла мимо Давида и вошла в кабинет с документом. Марат сидел за большим роскошным столом. В дорогом костюме и чёрном галстуке он выглядел особенно красиво. Регина заметила, что это был не тот костюм, в котором он уходил из дома. Где и как он успел переодеться? Опустив глаза, она проглотила этот вопрос и вместо этого сказала: «Господин Шестаков, это из отдела маркетинга. Пожалуйста, подпишите». Марат молчал, подписав документ не глядя. Регина вышла за дверь, как только мужчина вернул ей бумагу. Давид всё ещё стоял на пороге. И только когда она скрылась из виду, он повернулся к Марату и воскликнул: «Дерьмо! Думаешь, она услышала?» Взгляд мужчины был равнодушным. Казалось, он не обращал внимания на слова друга. Для Марата Регина всегда была послушной и прилежной девушкой. Её строгое послушание – это всё, что требовал от неё Марат в обмен на хорошее обращение. В лифте. Регина закусила губу и пыталась сдержать слёзы, но тщетно. Она думала, что двух лет будет достаточно, чтобы Марат понял, как сильно Регина любит его, и ответил ей взаимностью. Однако теперь это казалось лишь несбыточной мечтой. Девушка поняла, что всегда будет играть второстепенную роль в жизни мужа, в отличие от Елены, его первой любви. Регина вытерла слезы, когда лифт остановился. Она быстро привела себя в порядок, хотя её лицо осталось заметно бледным. Она потащилась в комнату отдыха, чтобы заварить себе чашечку чая. Внутри болтали несколько сотрудников. «Ребята, вы слышали? Елена Фадеева вернулась». «А кто это?» «Боже! Ты её не знаешь? Она наследница Фадеев Групп и дизайнер мирового уровня. И самое главное – она единственная девушка, которую господин Шестаков демонстрировал публично. Она его первая любовь!» «Но почему её возвращение так важно? Разве господин Шестаков не встречается с Региной?» «Регина? Она наверняка его очередная игрушка. Он не подтверждал, что встречается с ней. Но это и неудивительно. Посмотрите на неё – она даже не красотка, но ведёт себя так, будто уже стала его женой. Как глупо и наивно!» Стоя у двери и подслушивая, Регина насмешливо улыбалась. Оказалось, что правду поняли все, кроме неё самой. Её любовь была невзаимной. «Ха-ха, госпожа Шестакова наконец узнала всю правду?» Внезапно послышался насмешливый голос позади. Регина обернулась и увидела Алину Герасимову, двоюродную сестру Марата, которая всегда презирала её. Должно быть, она слышала сплетни коллег. Меньше всего Регине хотелось ругаться с Алиной на людях. Она повернулась, чтобы уйти, как вдруг Алина преградила ей путь. С чашкой кофе в руке она саркастически заявила: «Елена вернулась. Думаешь, Марату будет не всё равно на тебя?» Регина промолчала. Однако Алина продолжила насмешки. «Я слышал, что ты неплохо справляешься по ночам. Как насчет того, чтобы познакомить тебя с парой мужчин? Ты им действительно можешь понадобиться.» Сжав кулаки, Регина холодно ответила: «Госпожа Герасимова, мы на рабочем месте, а не в борделе. Я уверена – вы знаете, как до него добраться». «Ты...» Регина тонко намекнула на аморальное мышление Алины, и та быстро изменилась в лице. В следующую секунду Алина подняла руку и вылила чашку горячего кофе на Регину. Регина и представить не могла, что Алина окажется настолько безумной. Она схватила лицо руками, защищаясь от кипятка. В мгновение ока кофе вылился на её руку, и кожа девушки тут же покраснела. «Ай! – Регина нахмурилась от боли. – Ты что творишь? С ума сошла?» На обеденном перерыве многие сотрудники наблюдали за драмой. Алина злорадствовала, когда толпа зрителей начала увеличиваться. Скрестив руки на груди, она спросила Регину: «И откуда такая самоуверенность? Ты серьёзно думаешь, что окружающие не знают, что ты мерзкая сирота? Ты ошибка...» Внезапно послышался хлопок. Горячая пощёчина тут же заставила Алину замолчать. Она в шоке распахнула глаза. Неужели тихая и покладистая Регина дала ей пощёчину? Алина прижала руку к щеке, молча от шока. Спустя пару секунд она пробормотала: «Ты... Ты ударила меня? как ты смеешь!» Регина поймала её взгляд и ответила: «Да, я ударила тебя! Кажется, тебя не учили элементарной вежливости!» Действительно, девушка потеряла родителей ещё в детстве. Однако это не означало, что кто-либо мог высмеивать её за это. Алина глубоко нахмурилась. Будучи сестрой Марата Шестакова, она привыкла к уважению и лести в свой адрес. Ситуация с пощёчиной произошла впервые в её жизни. Девушка бросилась на Регину, как разъярённый бык, высоко подняв руку, чтобы ответить пощёчиной. На этот раз Регина была полностью готова к тому, что произойдёт. Она так крепко схватила запястье соперницы, что та не могла и пошевелиться. Поскольку Алина была ниже Регины, у последней было преимущество. Алина в ярости выругалась: «Не смей трогать меня своими грязными ручонками! Ты кем себя возомнила?! Ты очередная игрушка Марата! » Резкие слова привлекли в комнату отдыха ещё больше людей. «Довольно!» Неожиданно послышался низкий мужской голос позади. Марат заметил суматоху, выходя из своего офиса. В комнате воцарилась гробовая тишина. «Марат?» Кровь в жилах Алины застыла. Девушка всегда боялась брата. Мама много раз предупреждала её не провоцировать его. Недолго думая Алина заняла позицию жертвы – она схватилась за щёку и громко зарыдала. «Марат, посмотри на меня! Она ударила меня!» Солнечный свет снаружи падал на точёное лицо мужчины. Успокоившись, Регина опустила голову и посмотрела на руку, ошпаренную кофе. Их взгляды встретились в воздухе. Глубоконахмурившись, Марат посмотрел на Регину и задал вопрос: «Ты забыла правила компании?» Из-за его ледяного взгляда девушка неосознанно задержала дыхание. Она не могла поверить своим ушам. В этот момент никто не осмеливался издать ни звука. Регина молчала, стоя неподвижно. Когда она устраивалась на работу, Марат ясно дал понять, что Шестаков Групп – не то место, где можно бездельничать или допускать ошибки. Регина понимала его позицию. Однако в этот момент она отчаянно хотела узнать, слышал ли Марат резкие слова Алины или просто притворялся. Действительно ли он видел в Регине очередную игрушку? До смерти напуганная яростью Марата, толпа вскоре разошлась. Несколько сотрудников осмелились подглядывать издалека, не желая упускать представление. Холодный взгляд Марата заставил Регину задрожать. Глядя на Алину, девушка сжала ладони, чтобы подавить эмоции. «Мне очень жаль, госпожа Герасимова. Я поступила неправильно, когда ударила вас». Глядя на Регину, Алина самодовольно задрала подбородок. «Пф! Не думай, что тебя спустят с крючка за одни лишь извинения. Я не...» «В таком случае, беру свои извинения обратно. А теперь, если вы меня извините, – Регина прошла мимо Марата, не удостоив его и взглядом. Лицо Алины лишилось всяких красок. Никогда в жизни она не подвергалась такому унижению. Она всегда была хулиганом, а не жертвой! Алина была готова раскромсать Регину на куски! Указав на неё пальцем, девушка крикнула: «Марат, ты слышал? Она дала мне пощёчину и продолжает разговаривать в таком тоне! Поставь её на место. Иначе я изобью её так, что она будет молить о пощаде!» Выражение лица Марата, который смотрел в спину Регины, было нечитаемым. «Достаточно!»‎ – холодно воскликнул он, подняв руку. Как человек, который жил и дышал драмой и жестокостью, Алина предвкушала, что Марат проучит наглую девушку. Она была уверена, что он ни во что не ставит Регину. Алина стиснула зубы и злобно заявила: «В следующий раз я попрошу кого-нибудь преподать этой женщине урок.» «Алина!»‎ Тон и прищур Марата до жути напугали девушку. Алина вздрогнула. С мрачным выражением лица Марат объяснил: «Я говорю это в первый и последний раз. Забудь о том, что здесь произошло. Оставь Регину в покое». Алина почувствовала ком в горле. Все порочные планы, которые она строила против Регины, разрушились в одно мгновение. Она пробормотала: «Хорошо... Хорошо, понятно...»‎ Марат бросил на неё холодный взгляд и заговорил с Матвеем. «С сегодняшнего дня сюда не впускают посторонних людей». Не уловив смысла, Алина польстила Марату: «Хорошая идея. Это топ-компания. Не каждый имеет доступ сюда». Матвей кивнул Марату, а затем подошёл к Алине и указал на выход. «Госпожа Герасимова, пожалуйста, сюда». Только в этот момент Алина осознала, что она и есть тот ненужный человек, которого имел в виду Марат. Она попыталась заговорить с ним, но Матвей преградил ей путь. После этого охранники вывели её. Они не проявили к ней ни капли пощады, и её попытки вырваться оказались бесполезными. Тем временем Регина вернулась в офис, чтобы переодеться. Её сердце наполнилось печалью, когда она подумала о последнем взгляде Марата. Рабочий день подошёл к концу. Регина взяла сумку и направилась к выходу, как вдруг её остановил Матвей. Недолго думая, Регина отказалась от поездки. Раньше она была слепа, но теперь видела ситуацию насквозь. В глазах Марата она была просто никем. Почему он согласился навестить её бабушку, если Регина была ему безразлична? Прибыв в больницу, Регина увидела медсестру, которая собиралась кормить её бабушку ужином, и взяла эту задачу на себя. Всю жизнь её бабушка жила в деревне тихо и мирно. Всё изменилось в прошлом месяце, когда плановое медицинское обследование показало, что у неё были проблемы с поджелудочной железой. Регина настояла на том, чтобы привезти бабушку в город для качественного лечения. Бабушка не знала о браке внучки. Регина планировала устроить ей сюрприз. Однако, как оказалось, в этом уже не было необходимости. Девушка подождала, пока бабушка уснёт, прежде чем уйти. Она вышла из больницы и вызвала такси. Вдалеке, ко входу в больницу подъехал роскошный чёрный автомобиль. Глаза Регины загорелись – она узнала машину Марата. Неужели он приехал за ней? В этот момент Регина позабыла всю боль, которую испытывала всего пару часов назад. Дверь открылась, и на улицу вышел Марат. Регина поспешила к нему с наполняющимся радостью сердцем. Однако в следующую секунду она замерла, не в силах пошевелиться. Марат подошёл к задней двери и взял на руки девушку. На его лице отражались тревога и сострадание. Улыбка исчезла с лица Регины, когда её сердце обливалось кровью. Неужели её догадки были ошибочными? Заботился ли о ней Марат, вопреки слухам? ... ==== В сердце Регины был только один мужчина, и это был Марат. На второй год брака с ним она забеременела. Радость Регины не знала границ. Но не успела она сообщить новость мужу, как он подал документы на развод, потому что хотел жениться на своей первой любви. После этого она решила наладить свою жизнь. Спустя годы её имя стало известно повсюду. Марату стало крайне не по себе. По какой-то причине он начал скучать по ней. Его сердце болело, когда он видел её улыбающейся с другим мужчиной. Что будет дальше? Количество глав здесь ограничено, нажмите на кнопку ниже, чтобы установить приложение и продолжить чтение более захватывающих глав! (Вы будете автоматически перенаправлены на книгу, когда откроете приложение) &3&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.litradnovie.com/12024418-fb_contact-	Lime novel	https://www.facebook.com/100090847180115/	62	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.litradnovie.com	IMAGE		https://fbweb.litradnovie.com/12024418-fb_contact-ruj57_2-0510-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=1016312736312375&rawadid=120212336933750790	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461300422_1975340439560549_2927763296661134527_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=h2ejBQlC4wYQ7kNvgEE7ts5&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Acy_kQwBhlM6RoZpkoIaKcs&oh=00_AYBUpfWEwz3_Tv8WApIRH7UGfpN2NMZG_mUkqSZiT58g2g&oe=670528F0	PERSON_PROFILE	Lime novel	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,620	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	El lamento de amor	Liberada del papel de sustituta, su carrera se disparó hasta convertirse en una diseñadora de renombre mundial. Rodeada de una multitud de pretendientes, el hombre que una vez creyó que ella no podría vivir sin él se puso nervioso... ===== "¡Miren esa cara y ese cuerpo! Si la obligamos a trabajar como p**stituta, ¡podría ganar fácilmente por lo menos cien mil al día!". Kaitlin Hewitt se encontraba retenida en un edificio abandonado, hay heridas en la frente. Su ropa estaba rota y desaliñada, un testimonio de su inútil resistencia. Dos días atrás, una misteriosa llamada la arrastró a esta pesadilla. La persona que la llamó afirmó conocer a sus padres biológicos, e incluso mencionó detalles específicos sobre su cuerpo que solo ella sabía. La atrajeron a las afueras de la ciudad, y acabó en las garras de esos matones. "No hagan nada precipitado… Puedo pagarles la cantidad que quieran", afirmó la muchacha con voz firme a pesar de la sangre que goteaba de la comisura de sus labios. "Soy la esposa de Alan Hewitt, sea cual sea el rescate, él puede permitírselo". "¡¿Alan Hewitt?!". La revelación golpeó a los hombres como un rayo, provocando miradas de desconcierto entre ellos. "¿Él está casado? Nunca lo había oído". Alan Hewitt era un hombre poderoso en Osewood, cuya mera reprobación podía enviar oleadas de conmoción a toda la ciudad. Si de hecho tenían a su esposa, la ira de aquel hombre podría aniquilarlos sin esfuerzo. Notando la incertidumbre en las expresiones de los hombres, Kaitlin se serenó y dijo: "No diré que me secuestraron. Déjenme ir y les aseguro que recibirán el dinero sano y salvo". El líder del grupo la observó detenidamente, fijándose en su costoso vestido de diseño y sus llamativos rasgos, y titubeó un poco. Era evidente que su prenda era cara y ella atractiva, así que tenía sentido que un pez gordo de la talla de Alan la tomara como esposa. Tras una breve y atenta mirada a sus cómplices, habló en tono gélido: "Dame su número, y sin trucos. Si tratas de engañarme, te haré pagar!" Kaitlin dijo con debilidad un número de teléfono. El líder intentó marcar el número, pero la llamada se cortó de repente. Frustrado, gritó: "¡¿Estás jugando conmigo?! ¡Ni siquiera contestó!". Quitó el color de la cara a la muchacha y su voz se fue apagando. "No atiende las llamadas de un extraño… Por favor, déjame usar mi celular para llamarlo...". "¡Típica gente rica y sus excentricidades!", masculló el líder. Tras dudar un momento, le dio el celular a la chica y gruñó: "¡Dile que envíe doscientos millones! ¡Si no, no te la vas a llevar fácil!". Los dedos de Kaitlin temblaron al marcar, con el corazón acelerado. A pesar de llevar tres años casada con Alan, sabía que a él no le importaba ella; sin embargo, siempre había sido generoso, lo que le daba a la mujer una pizca de esperanza. ¿Pagaría el rescate? El timbre del teléfono parecía no tener fin, sus nudillos palidecían mientras lo agarraba con fuerza. Por fin contestó una voz, pero no era la de Alan, sino la de una mujer. La que contestó no era otra que la renombrada diseñadora Lilliana Willis, hermana menor de la chica a la que Alan amaba. "¿Kaitlin? Alan y yo estamos visitando la tumba de Ashley, ¿qué necesitas?". Se oyó la voz de Lilliana, y un temblor recorrió la mano de Kaitlin. Ella encontró que lo que estaba sucediendo era irónico. Era su tercer aniversario de boda y la habían secuestrado. Pasaron dos días y su esposo todavía no se había dado cuenta, sino que pasaba el tiempo junto a la tumba de su primer amor. Le dolió el corazón, pensando en las razones de aquel hombre para casarse con ella: su abuela, Beth Hewitt, ansiaba tener bisnietos, y Kaitlin tenía un inquietante parecido con su amor verdadero, Ashley Willis, que murió en un deslizamiento de tierra tres años antes Al darse cuenta de que no era más que una mera sustituta, a la chica se le rompió el corazón; sin embargo, no era momento para la angustia. Kaitlin luchó por contener las lágrimas y el dolor que se hacía evidente en su voz al pronunciar: "Señorita Willis, me urge hablar con Alan. Por favor, ¿podrías pasarle el celular?". Lilliana dejó escapar una risita. "Oh, Kaitlin, ya sabes cómo es Alan. Hoy es el aniversario del fallecimiento de Ashley, así que no está de humor para tu drama. ¿Por qué no me cuentas lo que pasa?". Mordiendo su frustración al notar la creciente impaciencia de los secuestradores, Kaitlin alzó la voz y gritó al celular: "¡Necesito hablar con Alan! ¡Ahora mismo! ¡Soy su esposa y no tienes derecho a impedírmelo!". No se atrevió a mencionar el secuestro, temiendo que los secuestradores entraran en pánico y le hicieran daño, pero su tono asertivo pareció surtir efecto, pues oyó pasos de fondo y luego se escuchó la voz de Alan. "¿Quién es?". Lilliana, fingiendo disgusto, tapó el auricular y susurró: "Es Kaitlin, insiste en hablar contigo. Le dije que estamos visitando la tumba de Ashley, pero se enfadó bastante y reclamó sus derechos como tu esposa...". Alan se burló con desdén. "¿Esposa? ¿Acaso cuenta como tal? No es más que una doble. Cuelga. Hablar con ella solo perturbará la tranquilidad de Ashley". Con un pitido escalofriante, la comunicación se cortó, y Kaitlin sintió que sus esperanzas se hacían añicos. Capítulo 2 No le des demasiada importancia Pero, ¡Kaitlin sí era la esposa de Alan! A pesar de su falta de cariño, ¿realmente podía quedarse tan indiferente ante su firme dedicación durante todos los últimos tres años? Alan la rescató del océano y, al recobrar el conocimiento, ella le confesó su amnesia, lo que provocó que él la acogiera. Quizá el hombre pensaba que se había casado con él porque no tenía a dónde ir, y que no podía valerse por sí misma; sin embargo, ignoraba que ella se enamoró de él desde su primer encuentro, como si estuviera hechizada. Kaitlin se negaba a compararse con alguien fallecido, pero Ashley era una fuente continua de dolor en su matrimonio, apuñalando su corazón una y otra vez y, tras tres años aguantando, lo único que tenía para mostrar era un corazón destrozado. "Dices que eres la esposa de Alan Hewitt, ¡y sin embargo ni siquiera responde a tus llamadas!". El líder del grupo la tiró del pelo, "Temíamos que los Hewitt tomaran represalias, pero está claro que no les importas, ¡así que somos libres de hacer lo que queramos! Vengan, chicos, ¡a disfrutar! "¿A quién le importa si esa mujer es la esposa de Alan Hewitt?" El agudo dolor en el cuero cabelludo provocó un gemido de parte de la muchacha y, al ver las sonrisas viles en los rostros de sus secuestradores, cerró las manos en puños. Estaba decidida a resistirse, aunque eso significara su muerte y, cuando se acercaron, se abalanzó sobre el hombre más cercano y lo golpeó en el abdomen. Aprovechando el momento, corrió hacia una ventana parcialmente abierta, y la cabeza le daba vueltas la frente mientras perdía el conocimiento... "La situación de la paciente está estable, pero tiene un traumatismo craneal grave. No sabemos cuándo recuperará el conocimiento". "Menos mal que las fuerzas especiales ya estaban tras su pista, si no, quién sabe...". Voces suaves e indistintas la rodeaban y, luchando por recobrar el sentido, Kaitlin abrió los ojos y vio un borrón blanco. El penetrante olor a desinfectante inundó sus sentidos y, a través de la bruma, captó el murmullo del asistente de Alan. "Gracias, doctor". ¿Aún estaba viva? Poco a poco, recuperó la conciencia. "¡Señora Hewitt, ¿está despierta?!". El asistente se percató de que se agitaba y se apresuró a acercarse, inquiriendo con voz preocupada: "¿Está bien?". Kaitlin echó un vistazo a la estéril habitación del hospital, su voz era apenas un susurro al decir: "¿Dónde está Alan?". La cara del ayudante se tensó y, tras un momento de vacilación, murmuró: "Él… tuvo que ocuparse de algo. Puede que venga más tarde". Kaitlin se sintió abrumada por la decepción. ¿Había algo más urgente? ¿De verdad no le importaba en lo absoluto? ¿Podía serle tan indiferente a que ella sobreviviera en tal accidente? Con voz áspera, murmuró: "Ya veo… Puedes irte... Gracias por venir". El asistente se detuvo, como si quisiera añadir algo más, pero recordando las severas órdenes de su jefe, guardó silencio y salió de la habitación. Al quedarse sola, Kaitlin yacía en la cama del hospital, con el corazón oprimido por una escalofriante tristeza que se extendía por todo su pecho, enfrentándose a la dura realidad de que su esposo no la amaba, a pesar de que intentaba convencerse de que tal vez estaba ocupado con algo urgente. Sin embargo, en ese momento, la puerta de su habitación se abrió de nuevo, la chica pensó que era el asistente que volvía. Para su sorpresa, era Lilliana. Kaitlin entornó los ojos y cerró los puños. "Señorita Willis, ¿qué haces aquí?". La voz de Lilliana fue suave, teñida de una dulzura burlona. "Me enteré de tu secuestro y tus heridas, Kaitlin. Me preocupé tanto que tuve que venir a ver cómo estabas. Me recuerdas tanto a mi hermana… Siempre he sentido un vínculo especial contigo". El mensaje era claro para Kaitlin: Lilliana le recordaba sutilmente su lugar como mera sustituta de su hermana. "Si ella pudiera verte ahora, fingiendo ser dulce e inocente delante de su prometido, me pregunto qué pensaría tu querida hermana", respondió con sarcasmo. "Apenas somos conocidas, así que no hace falta tu visita". Un destello de sorpresa y fastidio pasó por el rostro de Lilliana, pero rápidamente enmascarado por una expresión de pena. "Kaitlin, ¿te molesta mi cercanía con Alan?". Puso una expresión inocente. "Solo somos amigos. Me está cuidando por mi hermana, así que no le des demasiada importancia". Su fachada le dio náuseas a Kaitlin. Al principio, la creía de verdad y no sentía ninguna animosidad hacia ella; no obstante, con el paso del tiempo esta chica usó sin cesar el nombre de Ashley, manipulando a Alan y sembrando la discordia con planes mezquinos entre la pareja. ¿Cómo no pudo ver la intención de la mujer? "No me interesa saber cuál es tu relación con él", afirmó con un tono escalofriante. "Te agradecería que te marcharas ahora y que te guardaras tus actuaciones para tus admiradores, pues a mí no me sirven de nada". Las lágrimas brotaron de los ojos de Lilliana, mostrando un profundo dolor agraviado. Se levantó y dejó caer a propósito su celular, que aterrizó frente a Kaitlin. Entonces la pantalla se iluminó, mostrando un chat, y apareció una imagen que mostraba a Lilliana siendo llevada por Alan mientras entraban en un hotel al amparo de la noche. Parecían estar impecablemente hechos el uno para el otro, y los mensajes que siguieron a la imagen fueron igual de impactantes. "¿No es ese su novio, señorita Willis? ¡Es muy guapo!". "¿Qué? ¿La señorita Willis tiene novio? ¡Me acaban de romper el corazón!". Kaitlin sintió un escalofrío recorrerle los dedos. ¿Así que se fueron a un hotel después de visitar la tumba de Ashley la noche anterior? Mientras ella luchaba por su vida, ¿qué hacía su esposo? ¿La Lilliana usaba como sustituta de Ashley mientras se? La idea le dio asco y, temblando sin control, levantó la cabeza para encontrarse con la mirada de Lilliana, sus ojos ardiendo de ira y dolor. Capítulo 3 Recuerda tu lugar "Kaitlin, por favor, escucha. No es lo que piensas… Es que nosotros...", pronunció Lilliana mientras agarraba su celular, con una mezcla de tristeza fingida y desafío en la mirada. La rabia de Kaitlin se desbordó y la empujó fuerte. "¡Fuera de aquí! ¡¿De qué estás tan orgullosa?! ¿De destruir mi matrimonio? ¡¿Cómo puedes ser tan desvergonzada?!". Lilliana retrocedió a trompicones, y su mano golpeó adrede la pierna herida de Kaitlin al caer contra la cama del hospital. El dolor de su pierna era tan intensa, nublándole la vista con lágrimas y, cuando alargó el brazo para apartar a la otra mujer, una mano fuerte le sujetó la muñeca. "Kaitlin, ¿te volviste loca?". La voz fría y severa de Alan cortó el caos. Kaitlin levantó la vista y lo vio, aún vestido con el sombrío traje negro de la foto que había visto antes, con el cansancio y la ira grabados en el rostro. Seguía siendo el mismo hombre alto y apuesto, pero a Kaitlin le parecía ahora por completo repulsivo. "¿Soy yo la que se volvió loca?", siseó ella, enfatizando cada palabra. "Tu amante se ha estado burlando de mí en mi cara, ¿cómo podría yo no reaccionar? ¡Me das asco, Alan!". La cara del varón se ensombreció de furia al encontrarse con la mirada furibunda y llena de lágrimas de Kaitlin. Había estado despierto toda la noche ocupándose de los secuestradores, sin un momento de descanso, solo para llegar al hospital y encontrarse a su esposa gritándole otra vez por Lilliana. Su asistente le informó de que estaba malherida, pero allí estaba ella, aparentemente más vigorosa que él. "Kaitlin, ¿intentas poner a prueba mi paciencia?". Espetó con tono gélido: "Discúlpate con Lilliana, ¡ya!". Hizo que Kaitlin se estremeciera, pero el dolor en su corazón fue más insoportable. De ninguna manera se disculparía. "¿Por qué exactamente?". Su voz sonaba ronca mientras protestaba. "¿Porque interrumpí tu luto por tu amada mientras yo estaba a punto de morir?Alan, aunque tu corazón no me pertenece, ¿no puedes al menos mostrarme el respeto que se le debe a una esposa?". Las venas palpitaban en la frente de Alan, y su apretón se hizo más fuerte, con sus nudillos blanqueándose. "¡Ya basta! ¡¿Cómo te atreves a mencionarla?!". El grito de Alan resonó mientras empujaba a Kaitlin contra la cama, como un dragón furioso. "¡Recuerda tu lugar! Haz lo que te ordeno, ¡ahora!". Su espalda se golpeó contra el cabecero, encendiendo sus heridas no curadas con un dolor insoportable. Se le llenaron los ojos de lágrimas y le dificultaba respirar. ¿Cuál era en realidad su lugar? ¿Solo su esposa simbólica, un peón para sus deseos, o una sustituta de Ashley? Ninguno de esos papeles tenía verdadera importancia. Alan se fijó en sus ojos rojos y se dio cuenta de que seguía sufriendo a causa de las heridas, así que aflojó el agarre, a punto de hablar, pero Lilliana lo agarró del brazo de repente. "¡Alan, Kaitlin sigue herida! Y debe de estar asustada después del secuestro. Por favor, no seas tan duro con ella. Si pegarme la hace sentir mejor, puedo soportarlo. Lo peor que podría pasar es que tuviera que cancelar mis próximas entrevistas y colaboraciones". Lo miró con expresión de sincera comprensión. "Habla con ella". Alan, controlando su enfado, retiró con cuidado la mano y habló en voz baja: "Tú también necesitas descansar. Vete a casa a dormir, yo resolveré esto. Y no te preocupes por el trabajo que puedas perder, te encontraré oportunidades aún mejores". Lilliana asintió, lanzó una mirada cautelosa a Kaitlin y salió de la habitación con una leve sonrisa de satisfacción. Las diferentes actitudes de Alan hacia ella y Lilliana dejaron a Kaitlin más fría y, a pesar de tener el cuerpo lleno de heridas, Alan parecía ajeno a ellas. Sin embargo, con solo unas palabras de Lilliana, su ira se disolvía. Era ridículo. Tras tres años de matrimonio, comprendió por fin cuál era su posición ante Alan. "Kaitlin, ya que estás herida, no quiero discutir", dijo el varón con frialdad, dejándola caer de nuevo sobre la cama. "No se lo cuentes a la abuela. Cuando te den el alta, tú...". Kaitlin intervino sin emoción: "Cuando me den el alta, nos divorciaremos". Se quitó el preciado anillo de boda y lo arrojó a sus pies. "En estos tres años, ya he devuelto tu amabilidad por salvarme". Alan se paralizó y se quedó mirando el anillo con expresión atónita e incrédula, y al cabo de un momento, se acercó, le apretó la muñeca con fuerza y le preguntó: "¡¿Qué dijiste?!" "¿Cuándo empezaste a tener problemas de oído?", replicó la muchacha, dejando que él tirara de ella más cerca. "Me cansé de ser una sustituta. Nuestro matrimonio se terminó". Los ojos de Alan se oscurecieron, y sus rasgos se nublaron de rabia. Capítulo 4 Voy a divorciarme El ambiente de la habitación era tenso, y la voz de Alan cortó el silencio como el hielo. "Kaitlin, ¿cómo se te ocurre sugerir el divorcio como una broma?". Ella le sostuvo la mirada con una resolución recién descubierta, y la mujer tímida y complaciente que solía ser ya no estaba a la vista. "Alan, esto no es ninguna broma. Acordamos tres años de matrimonio. Cuando me den el alta, tendré listos los papeles del divorcio. No quiero nada de ti, ni un céntimo, y a partir de ese momento seguiré mi propio camino". Un intenso rubor se extendió por el rostro de Alan, cuyos ojos ardían de furia. "Kaitlin, ¡¿cómo te atreves?!", él la susurrando con tono amenazador: "¡¿Quieres el divorcio?! ¡¿Crees que puedes arreglártelas sola ahí fuera?!". La respuesta de la muchacha fue tranquila y serena. "Estoy en perfecto estado de salud y en pleno uso de mis facultades mentales, ¿por qué no podría arreglármelas sola?". Alan apretó los dientes y la miró con frialdad, pero ella no se inmutó y sus labios se curvaron en una sonrisa desdeñosa. "¿No quieres separarte? No soy más que una sustituta, seguro que no has desarrollado sentimientos por mí. Profesas tu amor por Ashley, pero aquí estás, utilizando a otra mujer para reemplazarla. ¿No es absurdo?". La mano de Alan tembló de rabia, con las venas saltando. "¿Quién te crees que eres al pensar en que no quiero dejarte ir?". "Bien", respondió Kaitlin, con una sonrisa tensa pero decidida mientras luchaba contra su dolor interior. "Me pondré en contacto contigo para lo del divorcio. Y luego si me pasara algo ahí fuera, no es de tu incertidumbre". Alan se quedó de pie, con el pecho hinchado de rabia y los hombros anchos temblando mientras una expresión de aturdimiento nublaba su rostro. La repentina ferocidad de Kaitlin y su férrea determinación le recordaron a alguien que conocía. Ashley tenía ese mismo espíritu agudo e inflexible. Pero ahora esa mujer quería dejarlo. ¿Cómo podía ella siquiera pensar en algo así? "Bien, estaré esperando", escupió el hombre con frialdad y, con un enérgico giro, salió furioso, cerrando la puerta tras de sí con un sonoro golpe. ¿Cómo podía Kaitlin, una mera huérfana amnésica, arreglárselas sin él? Se burló de la idea, curioso por saber cuánto tiempo podría aguantar. La habitación volvió a quedar en silencio, dejando a la muchacha perdida. Oyó el sonido difuso de los pasos de Alan mientras las lágrimas empezaban a correr por su rostro, abrasándole la piel como el fuego. Esto era el fin, la absurda obsesión y el interpretar el papel de otra persona durante tres años por fin terminaban. Se envolvió en la manta, tratando de evitar el frío, pero su corazón seguía helado y hueco, como desgarrado en pedazos, sin dejar nada más que un desastre destrozado. Tres días más tarde, salió del hospital, redactó los papeles del divorcio y los envió a la empresa de Alan. Kaitlin accedió entonces a su cuenta de Twitter y compartió un post. "He vuelto". ...... ¿Qué sucederá en adelante? Los capítulos disponibles son limitados aquí, haga click el botón abajo para instalar APP y disfrutar leyendo más contenidos maravillosos. (Al abrir el APP, directo accederá a este libro) &5&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.manobook.com/14127375-fb_contact-spp	Mobo-Reader：Funny Reading	https://www.facebook.com/100077707484555/	38,988	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.manobook.com	IMAGE		https://fbweb.manobook.com/14127375-fb_contact-spp57_2-0907-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=331118&accid=860298072104208&rawadid=120214235903630204	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/459412822_1209405086758487_1101852379673196806_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=lHeER1LUY_gQ7kNvgHwCaEk&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Acy_kQwBhlM6RoZpkoIaKcs&oh=00_AYAaM_Yjn4PHvX1Ir7UeelWOg7K6Qe4BRRBtU3cBhqawbw&oe=6705219E	PERSON_PROFILE	Mobo-Reader：Funny Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,083,650	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-10-03 21:26	active	1575	El lamento de amor	Liberada del papel de sustituta, su carrera se disparó hasta convertirse en una diseñadora de renombre mundial. Rodeada de una multitud de pretendientes, el hombre que una vez creyó que ella no podría vivir sin él se puso nervioso... ===== "¡Miren esa cara y ese cuerpo! Si la obligamos a trabajar como p**stituta, ¡podría ganar fácilmente por lo menos cien mil al día!". Kaitlin Hewitt se encontraba retenida en un edificio abandonado, hay heridas en la frente. Su ropa estaba rota y desaliñada, un testimonio de su inútil resistencia. Dos días atrás, una misteriosa llamada la arrastró a esta pesadilla. La persona que la llamó afirmó conocer a sus padres biológicos, e incluso mencionó detalles específicos sobre su cuerpo que solo ella sabía. La atrajeron a las afueras de la ciudad, y acabó en las garras de esos matones. "No hagan nada precipitado… Puedo pagarles la cantidad que quieran", afirmó la muchacha con voz firme a pesar de la sangre que goteaba de la comisura de sus labios. "Soy la esposa de Alan Hewitt, sea cual sea el rescate, él puede permitírselo". "¡¿Alan Hewitt?!". La revelación golpeó a los hombres como un rayo, provocando miradas de desconcierto entre ellos. "¿Él está casado? Nunca lo había oído". Alan Hewitt era un hombre poderoso en Osewood, cuya mera reprobación podía enviar oleadas de conmoción a toda la ciudad. Si de hecho tenían a su esposa, la ira de aquel hombre podría aniquilarlos sin esfuerzo. Notando la incertidumbre en las expresiones de los hombres, Kaitlin se serenó y dijo: "No diré que me secuestraron. Déjenme ir y les aseguro que recibirán el dinero sano y salvo". El líder del grupo la observó detenidamente, fijándose en su costoso vestido de diseño y sus llamativos rasgos, y titubeó un poco. Era evidente que su prenda era cara y ella atractiva, así que tenía sentido que un pez gordo de la talla de Alan la tomara como esposa. Tras una breve y atenta mirada a sus cómplices, habló en tono gélido: "Dame su número, y sin trucos. Si tratas de engañarme, te haré pagar!" Kaitlin dijo con debilidad un número de teléfono. El líder intentó marcar el número, pero la llamada se cortó de repente. Frustrado, gritó: "¡¿Estás jugando conmigo?! ¡Ni siquiera contestó!". Quitó el color de la cara a la muchacha y su voz se fue apagando. "No atiende las llamadas de un extraño… Por favor, déjame usar mi celular para llamarlo...". "¡Típica gente rica y sus excentricidades!", masculló el líder. Tras dudar un momento, le dio el celular a la chica y gruñó: "¡Dile que envíe doscientos millones! ¡Si no, no te la vas a llevar fácil!". Los dedos de Kaitlin temblaron al marcar, con el corazón acelerado. A pesar de llevar tres años casada con Alan, sabía que a él no le importaba ella; sin embargo, siempre había sido generoso, lo que le daba a la mujer una pizca de esperanza. ¿Pagaría el rescate? El timbre del teléfono parecía no tener fin, sus nudillos palidecían mientras lo agarraba con fuerza. Por fin contestó una voz, pero no era la de Alan, sino la de una mujer. La que contestó no era otra que la renombrada diseñadora Lilliana Willis, hermana menor de la chica a la que Alan amaba. "¿Kaitlin? Alan y yo estamos visitando la tumba de Ashley, ¿qué necesitas?". Se oyó la voz de Lilliana, y un temblor recorrió la mano de Kaitlin. Ella encontró que lo que estaba sucediendo era irónico. Era su tercer aniversario de boda y la habían secuestrado. Pasaron dos días y su esposo todavía no se había dado cuenta, sino que pasaba el tiempo junto a la tumba de su primer amor. Le dolió el corazón, pensando en las razones de aquel hombre para casarse con ella: su abuela, Beth Hewitt, ansiaba tener bisnietos, y Kaitlin tenía un inquietante parecido con su amor verdadero, Ashley Willis, que murió en un deslizamiento de tierra tres años antes Al darse cuenta de que no era más que una mera sustituta, a la chica se le rompió el corazón; sin embargo, no era momento para la angustia. Kaitlin luchó por contener las lágrimas y el dolor que se hacía evidente en su voz al pronunciar: "Señorita Willis, me urge hablar con Alan. Por favor, ¿podrías pasarle el celular?". Lilliana dejó escapar una risita. "Oh, Kaitlin, ya sabes cómo es Alan. Hoy es el aniversario del fallecimiento de Ashley, así que no está de humor para tu drama. ¿Por qué no me cuentas lo que pasa?". Mordiendo su frustración al notar la creciente impaciencia de los secuestradores, Kaitlin alzó la voz y gritó al celular: "¡Necesito hablar con Alan! ¡Ahora mismo! ¡Soy su esposa y no tienes derecho a impedírmelo!". No se atrevió a mencionar el secuestro, temiendo que los secuestradores entraran en pánico y le hicieran daño, pero su tono asertivo pareció surtir efecto, pues oyó pasos de fondo y luego se escuchó la voz de Alan. "¿Quién es?". Lilliana, fingiendo disgusto, tapó el auricular y susurró: "Es Kaitlin, insiste en hablar contigo. Le dije que estamos visitando la tumba de Ashley, pero se enfadó bastante y reclamó sus derechos como tu esposa...". Alan se burló con desdén. "¿Esposa? ¿Acaso cuenta como tal? No es más que una doble. Cuelga. Hablar con ella solo perturbará la tranquilidad de Ashley". Con un pitido escalofriante, la comunicación se cortó, y Kaitlin sintió que sus esperanzas se hacían añicos. Capítulo 2 No le des demasiada importancia Pero, ¡Kaitlin sí era la esposa de Alan! A pesar de su falta de cariño, ¿realmente podía quedarse tan indiferente ante su firme dedicación durante todos los últimos tres años? Alan la rescató del océano y, al recobrar el conocimiento, ella le confesó su amnesia, lo que provocó que él la acogiera. Quizá el hombre pensaba que se había casado con él porque no tenía a dónde ir, y que no podía valerse por sí misma; sin embargo, ignoraba que ella se enamoró de él desde su primer encuentro, como si estuviera hechizada. Kaitlin se negaba a compararse con alguien fallecido, pero Ashley era una fuente continua de dolor en su matrimonio, apuñalando su corazón una y otra vez y, tras tres años aguantando, lo único que tenía para mostrar era un corazón destrozado. "Dices que eres la esposa de Alan Hewitt, ¡y sin embargo ni siquiera responde a tus llamadas!". El líder del grupo la tiró del pelo, "Temíamos que los Hewitt tomaran represalias, pero está claro que no les importas, ¡así que somos libres de hacer lo que queramos! Vengan, chicos, ¡a disfrutar! "¿A quién le importa si esa mujer es la esposa de Alan Hewitt?" El agudo dolor en el cuero cabelludo provocó un gemido de parte de la muchacha y, al ver las sonrisas viles en los rostros de sus secuestradores, cerró las manos en puños. Estaba decidida a resistirse, aunque eso significara su muerte y, cuando se acercaron, se abalanzó sobre el hombre más cercano y lo golpeó en el abdomen. Aprovechando el momento, corrió hacia una ventana parcialmente abierta, y la cabeza le daba vueltas la frente mientras perdía el conocimiento... "La situación de la paciente está estable, pero tiene un traumatismo craneal grave. No sabemos cuándo recuperará el conocimiento". "Menos mal que las fuerzas especiales ya estaban tras su pista, si no, quién sabe...". Voces suaves e indistintas la rodeaban y, luchando por recobrar el sentido, Kaitlin abrió los ojos y vio un borrón blanco. El penetrante olor a desinfectante inundó sus sentidos y, a través de la bruma, captó el murmullo del asistente de Alan. "Gracias, doctor". ¿Aún estaba viva? Poco a poco, recuperó la conciencia. "¡Señora Hewitt, ¿está despierta?!". El asistente se percató de que se agitaba y se apresuró a acercarse, inquiriendo con voz preocupada: "¿Está bien?". Kaitlin echó un vistazo a la estéril habitación del hospital, su voz era apenas un susurro al decir: "¿Dónde está Alan?". La cara del ayudante se tensó y, tras un momento de vacilación, murmuró: "Él… tuvo que ocuparse de algo. Puede que venga más tarde". Kaitlin se sintió abrumada por la decepción. ¿Había algo más urgente? ¿De verdad no le importaba en lo absoluto? ¿Podía serle tan indiferente a que ella sobreviviera en tal accidente? Con voz áspera, murmuró: "Ya veo… Puedes irte... Gracias por venir". El asistente se detuvo, como si quisiera añadir algo más, pero recordando las severas órdenes de su jefe, guardó silencio y salió de la habitación. Al quedarse sola, Kaitlin yacía en la cama del hospital, con el corazón oprimido por una escalofriante tristeza que se extendía por todo su pecho, enfrentándose a la dura realidad de que su esposo no la amaba, a pesar de que intentaba convencerse de que tal vez estaba ocupado con algo urgente. Sin embargo, en ese momento, la puerta de su habitación se abrió de nuevo, la chica pensó que era el asistente que volvía. Para su sorpresa, era Lilliana. Kaitlin entornó los ojos y cerró los puños. "Señorita Willis, ¿qué haces aquí?". La voz de Lilliana fue suave, teñida de una dulzura burlona. "Me enteré de tu secuestro y tus heridas, Kaitlin. Me preocupé tanto que tuve que venir a ver cómo estabas. Me recuerdas tanto a mi hermana… Siempre he sentido un vínculo especial contigo". El mensaje era claro para Kaitlin: Lilliana le recordaba sutilmente su lugar como mera sustituta de su hermana. "Si ella pudiera verte ahora, fingiendo ser dulce e inocente delante de su prometido, me pregunto qué pensaría tu querida hermana", respondió con sarcasmo. "Apenas somos conocidas, así que no hace falta tu visita". Un destello de sorpresa y fastidio pasó por el rostro de Lilliana, pero rápidamente enmascarado por una expresión de pena. "Kaitlin, ¿te molesta mi cercanía con Alan?". Puso una expresión inocente. "Solo somos amigos. Me está cuidando por mi hermana, así que no le des demasiada importancia". Su fachada le dio náuseas a Kaitlin. Al principio, la creía de verdad y no sentía ninguna animosidad hacia ella; no obstante, con el paso del tiempo esta chica usó sin cesar el nombre de Ashley, manipulando a Alan y sembrando la discordia con planes mezquinos entre la pareja. ¿Cómo no pudo ver la intención de la mujer? "No me interesa saber cuál es tu relación con él", afirmó con un tono escalofriante. "Te agradecería que te marcharas ahora y que te guardaras tus actuaciones para tus admiradores, pues a mí no me sirven de nada". Las lágrimas brotaron de los ojos de Lilliana, mostrando un profundo dolor agraviado. Se levantó y dejó caer a propósito su celular, que aterrizó frente a Kaitlin. Entonces la pantalla se iluminó, mostrando un chat, y apareció una imagen que mostraba a Lilliana siendo llevada por Alan mientras entraban en un hotel al amparo de la noche. Parecían estar impecablemente hechos el uno para el otro, y los mensajes que siguieron a la imagen fueron igual de impactantes. "¿No es ese su novio, señorita Willis? ¡Es muy guapo!". "¿Qué? ¿La señorita Willis tiene novio? ¡Me acaban de romper el corazón!". Kaitlin sintió un escalofrío recorrerle los dedos. ¿Así que se fueron a un hotel después de visitar la tumba de Ashley la noche anterior? Mientras ella luchaba por su vida, ¿qué hacía su esposo? ¿La Lilliana usaba como sustituta de Ashley mientras se? La idea le dio asco y, temblando sin control, levantó la cabeza para encontrarse con la mirada de Lilliana, sus ojos ardiendo de ira y dolor. Capítulo 3 Recuerda tu lugar "Kaitlin, por favor, escucha. No es lo que piensas… Es que nosotros...", pronunció Lilliana mientras agarraba su celular, con una mezcla de tristeza fingida y desafío en la mirada. La rabia de Kaitlin se desbordó y la empujó fuerte. "¡Fuera de aquí! ¡¿De qué estás tan orgullosa?! ¿De destruir mi matrimonio? ¡¿Cómo puedes ser tan desvergonzada?!". Lilliana retrocedió a trompicones, y su mano golpeó adrede la pierna herida de Kaitlin al caer contra la cama del hospital. El dolor de su pierna era tan intensa, nublándole la vista con lágrimas y, cuando alargó el brazo para apartar a la otra mujer, una mano fuerte le sujetó la muñeca. "Kaitlin, ¿te volviste loca?". La voz fría y severa de Alan cortó el caos. Kaitlin levantó la vista y lo vio, aún vestido con el sombrío traje negro de la foto que había visto antes, con el cansancio y la ira grabados en el rostro. Seguía siendo el mismo hombre alto y apuesto, pero a Kaitlin le parecía ahora por completo repulsivo. "¿Soy yo la que se volvió loca?", siseó ella, enfatizando cada palabra. "Tu amante se ha estado burlando de mí en mi cara, ¿cómo podría yo no reaccionar? ¡Me das asco, Alan!". La cara del varón se ensombreció de furia al encontrarse con la mirada furibunda y llena de lágrimas de Kaitlin. Había estado despierto toda la noche ocupándose de los secuestradores, sin un momento de descanso, solo para llegar al hospital y encontrarse a su esposa gritándole otra vez por Lilliana. Su asistente le informó de que estaba malherida, pero allí estaba ella, aparentemente más vigorosa que él. "Kaitlin, ¿intentas poner a prueba mi paciencia?". Espetó con tono gélido: "Discúlpate con Lilliana, ¡ya!". Hizo que Kaitlin se estremeciera, pero el dolor en su corazón fue más insoportable. De ninguna manera se disculparía. "¿Por qué exactamente?". Su voz sonaba ronca mientras protestaba. "¿Porque interrumpí tu luto por tu amada mientras yo estaba a punto de morir?Alan, aunque tu corazón no me pertenece, ¿no puedes al menos mostrarme el respeto que se le debe a una esposa?". Las venas palpitaban en la frente de Alan, y su apretón se hizo más fuerte, con sus nudillos blanqueándose. "¡Ya basta! ¡¿Cómo te atreves a mencionarla?!". El grito de Alan resonó mientras empujaba a Kaitlin contra la cama, como un dragón furioso. "¡Recuerda tu lugar! Haz lo que te ordeno, ¡ahora!". Su espalda se golpeó contra el cabecero, encendiendo sus heridas no curadas con un dolor insoportable. Se le llenaron los ojos de lágrimas y le dificultaba respirar. ¿Cuál era en realidad su lugar? ¿Solo su esposa simbólica, un peón para sus deseos, o una sustituta de Ashley? Ninguno de esos papeles tenía verdadera importancia. Alan se fijó en sus ojos rojos y se dio cuenta de que seguía sufriendo a causa de las heridas, así que aflojó el agarre, a punto de hablar, pero Lilliana lo agarró del brazo de repente. "¡Alan, Kaitlin sigue herida! Y debe de estar asustada después del secuestro. Por favor, no seas tan duro con ella. Si pegarme la hace sentir mejor, puedo soportarlo. Lo peor que podría pasar es que tuviera que cancelar mis próximas entrevistas y colaboraciones". Lo miró con expresión de sincera comprensión. "Habla con ella". Alan, controlando su enfado, retiró con cuidado la mano y habló en voz baja: "Tú también necesitas descansar. Vete a casa a dormir, yo resolveré esto. Y no te preocupes por el trabajo que puedas perder, te encontraré oportunidades aún mejores". Lilliana asintió, lanzó una mirada cautelosa a Kaitlin y salió de la habitación con una leve sonrisa de satisfacción. Las diferentes actitudes de Alan hacia ella y Lilliana dejaron a Kaitlin más fría y, a pesar de tener el cuerpo lleno de heridas, Alan parecía ajeno a ellas. Sin embargo, con solo unas palabras de Lilliana, su ira se disolvía. Era ridículo. Tras tres años de matrimonio, comprendió por fin cuál era su posición ante Alan. "Kaitlin, ya que estás herida, no quiero discutir", dijo el varón con frialdad, dejándola caer de nuevo sobre la cama. "No se lo cuentes a la abuela. Cuando te den el alta, tú...". Kaitlin intervino sin emoción: "Cuando me den el alta, nos divorciaremos". Se quitó el preciado anillo de boda y lo arrojó a sus pies. "En estos tres años, ya he devuelto tu amabilidad por salvarme". Alan se paralizó y se quedó mirando el anillo con expresión atónita e incrédula, y al cabo de un momento, se acercó, le apretó la muñeca con fuerza y le preguntó: "¡¿Qué dijiste?!" "¿Cuándo empezaste a tener problemas de oído?", replicó la muchacha, dejando que él tirara de ella más cerca. "Me cansé de ser una sustituta. Nuestro matrimonio se terminó". Los ojos de Alan se oscurecieron, y sus rasgos se nublaron de rabia. Capítulo 4 Voy a divorciarme El ambiente de la habitación era tenso, y la voz de Alan cortó el silencio como el hielo. "Kaitlin, ¿cómo se te ocurre sugerir el divorcio como una broma?". Ella le sostuvo la mirada con una resolución recién descubierta, y la mujer tímida y complaciente que solía ser ya no estaba a la vista. "Alan, esto no es ninguna broma. Acordamos tres años de matrimonio. Cuando me den el alta, tendré listos los papeles del divorcio. No quiero nada de ti, ni un céntimo, y a partir de ese momento seguiré mi propio camino". Un intenso rubor se extendió por el rostro de Alan, cuyos ojos ardían de furia. "Kaitlin, ¡¿cómo te atreves?!", él la susurrando con tono amenazador: "¡¿Quieres el divorcio?! ¡¿Crees que puedes arreglártelas sola ahí fuera?!". La respuesta de la muchacha fue tranquila y serena. "Estoy en perfecto estado de salud y en pleno uso de mis facultades mentales, ¿por qué no podría arreglármelas sola?". Alan apretó los dientes y la miró con frialdad, pero ella no se inmutó y sus labios se curvaron en una sonrisa desdeñosa. "¿No quieres separarte? No soy más que una sustituta, seguro que no has desarrollado sentimientos por mí. Profesas tu amor por Ashley, pero aquí estás, utilizando a otra mujer para reemplazarla. ¿No es absurdo?". La mano de Alan tembló de rabia, con las venas saltando. "¿Quién te crees que eres al pensar en que no quiero dejarte ir?". "Bien", respondió Kaitlin, con una sonrisa tensa pero decidida mientras luchaba contra su dolor interior. "Me pondré en contacto contigo para lo del divorcio. Y luego si me pasara algo ahí fuera, no es de tu incertidumbre". Alan se quedó de pie, con el pecho hinchado de rabia y los hombros anchos temblando mientras una expresión de aturdimiento nublaba su rostro. La repentina ferocidad de Kaitlin y su férrea determinación le recordaron a alguien que conocía. Ashley tenía ese mismo espíritu agudo e inflexible. Pero ahora esa mujer quería dejarlo. ¿Cómo podía ella siquiera pensar en algo así? "Bien, estaré esperando", escupió el hombre con frialdad y, con un enérgico giro, salió furioso, cerrando la puerta tras de sí con un sonoro golpe. ¿Cómo podía Kaitlin, una mera huérfana amnésica, arreglárselas sin él? Se burló de la idea, curioso por saber cuánto tiempo podría aguantar. La habitación volvió a quedar en silencio, dejando a la muchacha perdida. Oyó el sonido difuso de los pasos de Alan mientras las lágrimas empezaban a correr por su rostro, abrasándole la piel como el fuego. Esto era el fin, la absurda obsesión y el interpretar el papel de otra persona durante tres años por fin terminaban. Se envolvió en la manta, tratando de evitar el frío, pero su corazón seguía helado y hueco, como desgarrado en pedazos, sin dejar nada más que un desastre destrozado. Tres días más tarde, salió del hospital, redactó los papeles del divorcio y los envió a la empresa de Alan. Kaitlin accedió entonces a su cuenta de Twitter y compartió un post. "He vuelto". ...... ¿Qué sucederá en adelante? Los capítulos disponibles son limitados aquí, haga click el botón abajo para instalar APP y disfrutar leyendo más contenidos maravillosos. (Al abrir el APP, directo accederá a este libro) &5&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.manobook.com/14127375-fb_contact-spp	Mobo-Reader：Funny Reading	https://www.facebook.com/100077707484555/	38,988	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.manobook.com	IMAGE		https://fbweb.manobook.com/14127375-fb_contact-spp57_2-0907-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=331118&accid=860298072104208&rawadid=120214235742450204	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/459526857_1469274823616111_6347364989623279773_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Vl_YcIbhwP4Q7kNvgFBmmd6&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A0J2rEDoKWyYF6OBRRtNjAq&oh=00_AYAGvJsT5Yr2lybPJcXqAXlnp_H06lqczmSC7pAtXImmxQ&oe=67052187	PERSON_PROFILE	Mobo-Reader：Funny Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

Page 118 of 147, showing 20 record(s) out of 2,934 total

Download CSV New Ads

Search

Ads