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1,871,059	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1871057}'	Yes	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	2103522153352710		🏳️‍🌈 We have ginormous #pride for our vibrant #LGBTQ+ storytellers.<br /> <br /> FACT: #Podcasts offer #inclusive, multifaceted discussions, making listeners 9.3X more likely to find #diversecreators than on TV. <br /> <br /> Indulge in these eclectic personalities who, in the words of @rupaulofficial, serve charisma, uniqueness, nerve & talent. 🔥<br /> <br /> @keepitshow<br /> @boweryboysnyc<br /> @atwwdpodcast<br /> #thefriendzone<br /> #daddydiaries<br /> @louisvirtel<br /> @irathethird<br /> @xtineschiefer<br /> @theemschulz<br /> @heyassante<br /> @lookatdustin<br /> @heyfranhey<br /> @bravoandy<br /> <br /> @pandora @CrookedMedia<br /> #podcastrecommendations			349733169279024	SiriusXM Media	https://facebook.com/siriusxmmedia	2,708	1	492,518,086,534,009	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0		SiriusXM Media	120210964657970392		NONE	video				2024-06-07 16:27	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447833103_2483575198500938_3136673646817040729_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=R14-6tg0NS4Q7kNvgHlg5JZ&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYDgEdfe94HCCOT193HeJr7oOJgiXSQrLoQ_7ZzU2dnU5Q&oe=6669D44E	person_profile	0	SiriusXM Media	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447965317_3315370488768606_8968821330988986955_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=bcnR3NCqi1sQ7kNvgEKQisk&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYACFZ3_XIqDkqsqEKbnY2MQj4ys5kMroChzwgIzwtGQtg&oe=6669EBE6	3	SiriusXM Media	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,870,767	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1870912}'	Yes	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	426491493506830	Enjoy Romance🥰Read More 👉	She signed the divorce papers and left without taking her phone. He checked her phone and got floored at the message: Please come tomorrow for another prenatal care checkup!<br /> =============<br /> <br /> Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns<br /> <br /> Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. <br /> <br /> All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom."<br /> <br /> Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. <br /> <br /> Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. <br /> <br /> It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. <br /> <br /> Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. <br /> <br /> In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. <br /> <br /> Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. <br /> <br /> She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> He was something to see now. <br /> <br /> "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. <br /> <br /> What? He was on his way out? At this hour? <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> With that, he headed for the door. <br /> <br /> "Mitchel."<br /> <br /> Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. <br /> <br /> Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. <br /> <br /> "What's the matter?"<br /> <br /> There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. <br /> <br /> A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?"<br /> <br /> Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. <br /> <br /> "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. <br /> <br /> Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. <br /> <br /> After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. <br /> <br /> A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was the man in the picture! <br /> <br /> So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? <br /> <br /> This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. <br /> <br /> Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> "Hello!"<br /> <br /> It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. <br /> <br /> Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. <br /> <br /> She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. <br /> <br /> The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. <br /> <br /> Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. <br /> <br /> The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. <br /> <br /> Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. <br /> <br /> After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks.<br /> <br /> At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. <br /> <br /> All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel?<br /> <br /> Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. <br /> <br /> It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. <br /> <br /> 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? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. <br /> <br /> "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?"<br /> <br /> The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. <br /> <br /> "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. <br /> <br /> "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?"<br /> <br /> "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. <br /> <br /> "You know what, forget it!"<br /> <br /> The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. <br /> <br /> They were talking about her as if she were an object. <br /> <br /> Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. <br /> <br /> Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. <br /> <br /> "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?"<br /> <br /> "Yes."<br /> <br /> "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her."<br /> <br /> Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..."<br /> <br /> Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. <br /> <br /> Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. <br /> <br /> The woman was indeed Lauren! <br /> <br /> Absence made the heart grow fonder! <br /> <br /> Every word drove a knife into her heart. <br /> <br /> Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. <br /> <br /> She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. <br /> <br /> "Raegan?"<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Chapter 2 One-sided Love<br /> <br /> Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. <br /> <br /> Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!"<br /> <br /> Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. <br /> <br /> Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? <br /> <br /> With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it."<br /> <br /> Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. <br /> <br /> Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. <br /> <br /> To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. <br /> <br /> Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. <br /> <br /> In the elevator. <br /> <br /> Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. <br /> <br /> She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. <br /> <br /> Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. <br /> <br /> She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. <br /> <br /> Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. <br /> <br /> She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. <br /> <br /> Several employees were chatting inside. <br /> <br /> "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back."<br /> <br /> "And who is that?"<br /> <br /> "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!"<br /> <br /> "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?"<br /> <br /> "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!"<br /> <br /> Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. <br /> <br /> The love was one-sided. <br /> <br /> "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?"<br /> <br /> A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. <br /> <br /> Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. <br /> <br /> The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> Raegan said nothing to that. <br /> <br /> Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool."<br /> <br /> Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself."<br /> <br /> "You..."<br /> <br /> Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. <br /> <br /> The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?"<br /> <br /> It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. <br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. <br /> <br /> Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. <br /> <br /> Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!"<br /> <br /> Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. <br /> <br /> This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. <br /> <br /> Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. <br /> <br /> Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?"<br /> <br /> These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. <br /> <br /> "That's enough!"<br /> <br /> Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. <br /> <br /> The entire room fell silent. <br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me."<br /> <br /> The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. <br /> <br /> Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. <br /> <br /> No one dared to make a sound at this moment. <br /> <br /> Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan could understand why he took this stand. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Was she truly insignificant to him?<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. <br /> <br /> Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. <br /> <br /> "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you."<br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. <br /> <br /> "You..."<br /> <br /> Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. <br /> <br /> Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! <br /> <br /> The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. <br /> <br /> 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!"<br /> <br /> Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. <br /> <br /> "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson."<br /> <br /> "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. <br /> <br /> Tessa trembled at once. <br /> <br /> With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone."<br /> <br /> The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. <br /> <br /> She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..."<br /> <br /> Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards."<br /> <br /> Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here."<br /> <br /> Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. <br /> <br /> Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. <br /> <br /> Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. <br /> <br /> Closing hour soon rolled by. <br /> <br /> Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. <br /> <br /> He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home."<br /> <br /> Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. <br /> <br /> She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. <br /> <br /> In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. <br /> <br /> How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. <br /> <br /> Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. <br /> <br /> Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. <br /> <br /> In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. <br /> <br /> Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. <br /> <br /> Did he come to pick her up? <br /> <br /> At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. <br /> <br /> Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? <br /> <br /> The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. <br /> <br /> Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. <br /> <br /> Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. <br /> <br /> Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. <br /> <br /> Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. <br /> <br /> This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Chapter 3 Let's Divorce<br /> <br /> Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. <br /> <br /> It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. <br /> <br /> Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. <br /> <br /> She was Lauren. <br /> <br /> Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. <br /> <br /> She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. <br /> <br /> Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?"<br /> <br /> Raegan was stunned for a moment. <br /> <br /> She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. <br /> <br /> After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay."<br /> <br /> She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. <br /> <br /> Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. <br /> <br /> When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. <br /> <br /> The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. <br /> <br /> Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. <br /> <br /> Love could move mountains, they said. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. <br /> <br /> As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan froze for a moment. <br /> <br /> Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? <br /> <br /> Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. <br /> <br /> "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. <br /> <br /> Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. <br /> <br /> There were five missed calls from Mitchel. <br /> <br /> This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. <br /> <br /> Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! <br /> <br /> Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. <br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. <br /> <br /> Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. <br /> <br /> Would they have a future? <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. <br /> <br /> Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce."<br /> <br /> "What do you mean?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. <br /> <br /> "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon."<br /> <br /> Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. <br /> <br /> "We will be strangers?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?"<br /> <br /> His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. <br /> <br /> 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... <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. <br /> <br /> It was high time she stopped being a fool. <br /> <br /> Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. <br /> <br /> The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. <br /> <br /> Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. <br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now."<br /> <br /> A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. <br /> <br /> Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. <br /> <br /> Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. <br /> <br /> He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. <br /> <br /> "Stop this, will you?"<br /> <br /> A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. <br /> <br /> He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. <br /> <br /> "You have a fever?"<br /> <br /> Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. <br /> <br /> This made the whole situation complicated. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. <br /> <br /> He then headed for the elevator. <br /> <br /> In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?"<br /> <br /> "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course."<br /> <br /> "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. <br /> <br /> Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital.<br /> <br /> Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. <br /> <br /> "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!"<br /> <br /> &13&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	108744435202789	Novellove read	https://facebook.com/100083283215376	5,330	1	819,513,739,678,207	2024-06-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	Novellove read	120213215825560091	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	image		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=216543&accid=790839132906836		2024-06-03 03:31	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/445517645_898131702119722_9090908940011950436_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zxOvw1rYHxgQ7kNvgFZQVeO&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYAgw0fMt2XoxPiizqLNe5_S9P4tQP8zSEStUfeIGYT4kw&oe=6669E54B	person_profile	0	moboreader	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/446925709_1242684890233424_4824880078228820713_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=K9vrty4cVrUQ7kNvgGFN3XP&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYBid7nzmJCBqytE5B-ArKwF0K_f8pGE-s0xVIkyKDqQpg&oe=6669F3CF	3	Novellove read	2024-06-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,870,907	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1870908}'	Yes	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	309141412263268	🔥one click to continue FREE reading👉	"I thougt we'd agreed that the last time was an accident and it won't happen again." <br /> "Yes we did, but that's before I realized I'm a bit addicted to it." He was getting closer to me.<br /> <br /> LAYLA<br /> <br /> The loud ringing of the phone wakes me up from a deep slumber. My hand pats the soft space. My eyes are too heavy and a thousand veins are thumping in my head. <br /> <br /> My hand finally finds my cell, and I swipe right. Placing the cold cell against my ear, I wait for a second. <br /> <br /> “ Layla Jones, where the fuck are you? ” The shrill voice of my best friend pierces my eardrum.<br /> <br /> My eyes shoot wide open. Pain seeps into my skull. I sit up in the bed. Cold air brushes my body that is strangely…<br /> <br /> My eyes drop to my naked boobs, and the purple marks all over my skin. I blink. I can not believe the fuck out of this.<br /> <br /> “ Hello? ” Daphne shouts. “ Hello? Why are you not saying anything? Did you create some mess I need to sort out? ” <br /> <br /> “ It’s not a mess. ” I cringe and look to my left.<br /> <br /> The other side of the bed is empty. My eyes search the sheets. To prove me right, the blood stains peek back at me.<br /> <br /> “ I lost my virginity. ” I whisper.<br /> <br /> Some silence, and then evil laughter booms through the speaker. “ Good job. ” <br /> <br /> “ Not the time to play the villain. ” I whisper yell. “ please come pick me up from this stupid place where you left me. ” <br /> <br /> “ I am already on my way there. I thought you were dead so I had to come to check up on you. ” She whistles.<br /> <br /> I hang up on her. My fingers touch the dried blood. Horror etches into my features. <br /> <br /> What did I do? <br /> <br /> When did I do it?<br /> <br /> My memory was hazy. The sound of the shower running in the bathroom was clear though.<br /> <br /> I got to my feet, wincing and cringing. My legs hurt like I have done a lot of exercise.<br /> <br /> A blurred memory plays in my head as I limp to the side table. <br /> <br /> * “ Look how good you take me, Mio Tesoro. ”<br /> <br /> The deep, authoritative voice whispered in my head. I had to spread my legs wider to have all of him between them. <br /> <br /> “ Hard…Harder. ” It was my voice. <br /> <br /> The hard pounding, the strong pleasure, my nails in his back, and his hands on my hips. The sweat, the moans, his wild grunts. <br /> <br /> Embarrassment flushes me red. I tear the sheets from my body to search for my clothes. I find my torn dress in the distance and look at it with wide eyes.<br /> <br /> The shower continues to run in the distance. It gives me the little sense of calm that I need right now or else, I am going to pass out from equal parts fear and embarrassment.<br /> <br /> Dropping the dress, I look for my panties and bra. Both pieces of black clothing are sprawled on the floor close to the bed. I slip them on when I see the black button-down shirt and my purse lying close to them.<br /> <br /> I pick both of them, slip on the black shirt, and button it up. Then, I grab a few bills from my purse and drop them on the table to pay for the shirt.<br /> <br /> It’s my beloved saved money that I foolishly wanted to spend yesterday to get over the heartbreak but after stepping foot in the expensive club, I didn’t use it. How I got drunk and ended up here is not even in my memory.<br /> <br /> So, I am going to leave this money for whomever I slept with and run out of here. I can’t possibly face this man after what we did.<br /> <br /> Acting on my plan, I make my way out of the room. It seems like the top floor of the same club given that it is decorated in the same colors. The red, blue, and purple. A neon touch to everything.<br /> <br /> I dash down the staircase and run straight for the door. I am hopeful that when I open the door, Daphne will be waiting in the parking lot because I won’t feel too good waiting in the open, with nothing but a shirt on and my feet bare.<br /> <br /> My heart beats fast from the hurried actions. My hands sweat and I frantically rub them over the shirt.<br /> <br /> As I hoped, I see Daphne’s black SUV parked in the distance. She grins when she sees me running to her.<br /> <br /> Just as I open the door, I slip inside the passenger seat and turn to her. “ Let’s leave already. ”<br /> <br /> “ We need to talk about your night first. ” Daphne claps her hands excitedly.<br /> <br /> “ No, D. We are not talking about it here. ” I whisper, looking at the club in the distance in the side mirror.<br /> <br /> I hope he takes the money and doesn’t come out for me for the shirt. It is soft and feels expensive over my skin so I believe it’s not worth what I gave him.<br /> <br /> “ No, Lulu. You need to tell me— ”<br /> <br /> I slap my hand over her mouth and glare at her. “ Drive out of here and I will tell you everything. ”<br /> <br /> Her green eyes round with excitement. She nods her head. Her black hair bounce with the move.<br /> <br /> I remove my hand cautiously. She listens this time and starts the engine. In no time, we are saying goodbye to my nightmare and fear.<br /> <br /> “ Now, tell me everything from the moment you two kissed and then climaxed. ” Daphne giggles wickedly.<br /> <br /> “ Too bad for you. ” I shake my head and rub my temples. “ I don’t even remember what he looks like or when we kissed or how I got drunk. I only remember that I sat in the corner and watched everyone with big I-am-poor eyes. What happened after that is not in my memory. ” <br /> <br /> “ You popped the cherry and you don’t remember what it felt like? ” She gasps.<br /> <br /> “ I don’t even remember popping the cherry. ” I close my eyes. This is embarrassing. “ but I saw the blood on the sheets. ”<br /> <br /> “ That’s how you took revenge on Josh? You slept with a guy and you don’t even remember if he was hot or not? Now you are going to bluff about him when you don’t know what to bluff about? ” Daphne clicks her tongue.<br /> <br /> “ I don’t know, D. ” I lick my lips, tasting an intoxicating masculine mint flavor on them. “ I recall changing my mind when I stepped into the club. I planned on watching people for a while and then calling you. I don’t know how I ended up in the bed with - - - him. ”<br /> <br /> Him. Him is definitely not ugly. I didn’t see his face in the flash of memory but the way his body stretched me to the limits and made me ache all over is not the work of someone weak.<br /> <br /> “ Alpha will be angry. ” Daphne whispers when we enter the pack.<br /> <br /> I swallow. “ When is he not angry with me? ” <br /> <br /> “ I am sorry. ” She keeps her gaze settled ahead.<br /> <br /> I go silent. This is the consequence I have to face because I decided to cross my limits and pretended to be someone I am not.<br /> <br /> This is the consequence of forgetting that I am supposed to be the daughter of the murdered gamma couple, with no wolf. I can say mateless too, but I was proved wrong on that account yesterday.<br /> <br /> Yesterday was the day of the hunt. It’s the day when werewolves can recognize their mates. I had no hopes about this day, but Alpha’s son, Josh came to me with a dazed look when I was working in the kitchen and whispered the word mate to me.<br /> <br /> A force swept me off my feet at that moment. I dropped the knife and rushed into his arms. I could sense the connection too, but I couldn’t tell what it was. <br /> <br /> I was happy. I forgot that Josh was the worst nightmare for me for the past two years. He beat me. He starved me. He tried to rape me once.<br /> <br /> I forgot all that.<br /> <br /> But, he was the same.<br /> <br /> He rejected me and then beat me. Before he could kill me in his anger, Sarah came into the kitchen. <br /> <br /> She was his girlfriend and the Beta’s daughter. She was also my best friend before the incident that ruined my life. But now, she just pretended to be good in front of everyone and stopped Josh whenever he wanted to hit me.<br /> <br /> While in the absence of others, she made me go through worse things. Like ducking my head underwater and letting me feel the water burning my lungs until I was half dead. That was one of her favorite ways of torture.<br /> <br /> After telling me how I was a worthless whore, they both went away but I was burning in pain and anger. <br /> <br /> I was done with the pack members that used me, abused me, and kept me as a slave all these years. I wanted to do something to rebel against them like Daphne had suggested all this time.<br /> <br /> So, I did that.<br /> <br /> But, I am scared about the consequences that await me now.<br /> <br /> Daphne stops the car outside the double-story pack house. I observe the building with scared eyes.<br /> <br /> “ I wish I could - - - ”<br /> <br /> I open the door and slip out. I don’t want to hear her apologize. She can not do anything for me. <br /> <br /> She is bound by a blood oath to the Alpha and if she goes against him, she will be killed or worse, exiled. <br /> <br /> Exile is the biggest fear of werewolves because breaking a bond with the pack will turn you into a packless rogue and if no other pack takes you in right away, it can result in slow madness and pain that never ends.<br /> <br /> “ Thanks, D. ” I smile weakly.<br /> <br /> She tries to smile back but fails. I peel my eyes off her face and walk inside the pack house.<br /> <br /> As expected, I stumble upon Josh in the sitting area. My hands tremble in fear when our eyes meet.<br /> <br /> His eyes flash golden. It’s a sign of instant rage. A sign that his wolf is fighting to rise to the surface and shift. <br /> <br /> “ Where the fuck were you? ” He hisses and stalks to me.<br /> <br /> My hands tremble by my side, because I know, without a wolf I can not fight back. I can not even protect myself. <br /> <br /> “ Answer me! ” He grips my jaw and squashes it hard.<br /> <br /> Pain blurs my vision. I claw at his hands. He applies harsh pressure.<br /> <br /> “ Leave me. ” I shriek.<br /> <br /> “ You smell like another fucker. ” He growls in my face. <br /> <br /> His usual brown eyes still burn golden, hinting that his wolf is angry like him.<br /> <br /> “ Leave me, Josh. ” I thrash and try to push him away.<br /> <br /> “ Leave you? ” He seethes and throws me back.<br /> <br /> My spine hits the wall before I slide down and my left side crashes into the floor. The loud sound of bones cracking makes me sick to my stomach. Screams erupt from my mouth, one after another.<br /> <br /> After that, Josh doesn’t stop. I lose count of the times his fists slam into my face or his legs kick me all over.<br /> <br /> He doesn’t release me until I am crawling on my hands and begging him to spare me. My nails break from the roots. My body is broken.<br /> <br /> He kicks me a last time in the rib, causing another shattering noise, and moves back.<br /> <br /> “ Attempt to fuck with me again, and you are done slut. ” He spits on my bloodied body after his cruel words.<br /> <br /> After he is done, Josh leaves me there. Suffering. Barely alive. Hurting. <br /> <br /> It’s nothing new. I know I will lose consciousness and when I regain it, I will be lying in the same spot. I will tend to my wounds on my own, I will cry alone, and I will suffer without anyone by my side.<br /> <br /> Chapter 02<br /> “ Whose bastard is it? ” Alpha Benjamin growls in my face.<br /> <br /> I squeeze my eyes shut. “ I - - - I don’t know. ”<br /> <br /> “ I am asking for the last time Layla! ” His fist slams into my face, knocking me to the ground. <br /> <br /> “ I don’t know, Alpha. ” I cry out and instantly pull my knees to my chest to protect my stomach from the hits.<br /> <br /> One mistake. One night. And fate decided it didn’t want to let this slide.<br /> <br /> I found out I was pregnant after a mere month which is rare for werewolves. The child growing inside me is not normal. When I secretly visited pack doctor Emma, she told me it’s a powerful breed and it’s growing at a fast rate. I will be ready to give birth in six months instead of eight.<br /> <br /> After hearing all this, I instantly thought about getting rid of it, as I was in no position to raise a child but I couldn’t do it.<br /> <br /> How am I supposed to get rid of this part of me?<br /> <br /> This baby is my flesh and blood. The thought of killing it, killing an innocent child equals suicide to me. <br /> <br /> The baby is mine. I won’t let it go.<br /> <br /> So, I decided that I will run away tonight to save my baby and myself, but Doctor Emma told the truth to Alpha Benjamin and now, we are inside his pack office where he is beating the shit out of me.<br /> <br /> He kicks my arms. Animalistic growls leave his lips. He continues to hit me, and I take it while protecting my stomach from the blows.<br /> <br /> Today, I am not screaming. I will not scream ever again. I am going to bear it until I have the chance. Once I take this chance, I will never look back. I will make my life. I will raise this baby with love and care.<br /> <br /> The door to his office flies open. I peek from around my elbow to see who it is.<br /> <br /> “ Dad! ” Josh yells.<br /> <br /> Alpha Benjamin stops hitting me and turns to his son. His breath comes out in short pants after all the work he has done on me.<br /> <br /> I, on the other hand, can not move in fear that my body is going to fall apart. I dig my teeth into my lower lip to stop the small sobs of pain from falling out of my mouth.<br /> <br /> I won’t be weak anymore. I will be strong for the baby. I will be brave, and smart all for the life growing inside me.<br /> <br /> “ You were going to kill her. ” Josh sighs.<br /> <br /> “ This bitch won’t die so easily. She is a curse! ” Alpha Benjamin hisses at him.<br /> <br /> “ She might be a curse but she is not invincible, Dad. ” He rolls his eyes and walks to me.<br /> <br /> Crouching down, Josh touches my elbow. A whimper escapes my lips despite my hardest efforts. He shakes his head and grabs my arms before lifting me into a sitting position. <br /> <br /> Everywhere hurts. My arms hurt. My head hurts. My guts hurt.<br /> <br /> Tears moisten my eyes when the pain becomes unbearable.<br /> <br /> “ Come on. Get up. ” Josh pulls me to my feet.<br /> <br /> I follow his lead without any protest. He takes me out of his father’s office.<br /> <br /> “ Get that damn bastard flushed out of her, Josh. ” Alpha Benjamin sneers before the door to his office closes behind me.<br /> <br /> My eyes become round in fear. I glance at Josh and find him already smirking at me.<br /> <br /> He is going to get the baby aborted. I know.<br /> <br /> “ I- - - ” I croak out. “ I will die, Josh. I can not have an abortion in this state. ” <br /> <br /> Josh looks at me with a wicked look in his eyes. I gulp. Pain follows my saliva down my throat and blood rises to my mouth.<br /> <br /> “ You have to get an abortion, baby. Or I am going to rip this thing out of you myself. ” He whispers huskily. <br /> <br /> Dread stings my body in the form of needles. I open my mouth to tell him to try and see what happens, but it’s an idiotic move to fight him when he has all the power against me.<br /> <br /> “ Can we do it tomorrow? ” A tear finally slides down my eye. <br /> <br /> “ No. This thing is getting out of you right now. ” He shakes his head.<br /> <br /> “ Please, Josh. I swear to Goddess Selene I will get this thing out of me first thing in the morning but please let’s not do this today. I am - - - I am already hurting. I am scared. ” I reason.<br /> <br /> Calling my baby a thing is beyond terrible but I have to do it so Josh doesn’t suspect my intentions.<br /> <br /> Josh goes silent and takes me to the small store room I call my room in the pack house. The worn-down mattress waits for me on the floor, taunting me for everything I have endured and will endure once I am out of this shithole.<br /> <br /> He dumps me over the mattress harshly and steps back. I groan, holding my left arm that hurts the most.<br /> <br /> “ What will I get if I do you this favor? ” Josh asks sultrily. <br /> <br /> His eyes drill holes in my battered body. The old grey tank top and the bloodied blue-colored ripped jeans are not doing anything to hide me from his evil eyes.<br /> <br /> I know he wants to sleep with me. He is tired of sex with my ex-best friend aka Sarah. He wants what the battered bond between us offers now. A pleasure that matches no other. A touch that burns to ashes and brings back to life. <br /> <br /> He has been trying to have sex with me for the past few days but I was so sick that he couldn’t get near me without me throwing up all over him. The baby protected me from him.<br /> <br /> “ I will do anything you want, Josh. ” I whisper, holding his dirty gaze.<br /> <br /> He crouches down. I grip the edges of the smelly mattress under me to hold still. His face nears mine, and the putrid stench of beer burns my nostrils.<br /> <br /> “ Will you let me fuck you against the wall? ” He smirks, knowing how this talk always makes me flip. <br /> <br /> My lips tremble as he closes the little distance and kisses the edge of them. “ tell me, Laylababy. ” <br /> <br /> “ Y - - - Yes. ” I nod, cautiously bending back to be away from him.<br /> <br /> “ Oh, fuck. It’s so easy. ” He chuckles, drawing his head back. “ I might as well fuck you now. ”<br /> <br /> Life drains from my body. His hands close around my waist, push me into the mattress and he crawls above me.<br /> <br /> “ Josh! ” I yelp and push at his chest.<br /> <br /> “ I want to fuck your filthy mouth. ” He utters before sealing my lips with his mouth.<br /> <br /> I push harder. The terror of getting raped while there is an innocent life inside me is soul-shattering. <br /> <br /> I clamp my teeth around his lower lip and bite so hard that blood pours inside my mouth. He pulls away and smacks me across the face. My vision blackens at the strong impact.<br /> <br /> “ Motherfucking Whore! ” He clenches my jaw and makes me face him. “ I am going to take your mouth, your pussy, and at the end, I am going to cum in your ass as a payback for this stunt you pulled ”<br /> <br /> “ No! ” I scream. “ No, Josh. Get the fuck away from me. I am pregnant, for fuck’s sake! ” <br /> <br /> “ That’s why I am not fucking you. The filth inside you is repulsive as shit. ” He groans and gets away from me.<br /> <br /> I release a shaky breath. My pulse is quick enough to make me dizzy. I sit up and immediately slip to the other edge of the mattress.<br /> <br /> “ You are getting rid of this first thing tomorrow. ” He warns, stepping back. “ This doesn’t mean you can slack off today. Come out of the fucking room and set the table for the guests. ” <br /> <br /> “ O- - -Okay. ” I nod.<br /> <br /> He glares at me before walking out of the open door. I watch his retreating back and tears slide out of my eyes at last. <br /> <br /> My hands press against my stomach as I sob to myself. “ I am - - - I am sorry, baby. Mama couldn’t protect herself and you today. But I promise- - - ”<br /> <br /> I place my right hand over my mouth to cover the sobs. “ I promise I will do a better job from now on. I will never let you get hurt. We will be out of this hellhole by tomorrow and we will start a new life. I promise you will be a lot happier than me. I will make sure of it. ”<br /> <br /> Chapter 03<br /> LAYLA<br /> <br /> It takes me three hours to prepare everything for the dinner with the maids and set the table for the guests. <br /> <br /> Alpha or Josh refuses to tell me who is coming but the extravagant preparations are enough to reveal it’s an important person.<br /> <br /> I go back to my small room when I am done and inspect the contents inside my backpack. Some cash Daphne lent me and the remainder of my savings is sitting inside untouched with three shirts and two pairs of jeans. There is nothing else I have or can take without anyone noticing it.<br /> <br /> I have no idea how life is going to be when I leave this pack but Daphne is helping me. She talked to her aunt who lives on the outskirts of the Lotus pack. <br /> <br /> It’s a decent old pack that resides about a hundred kilometers west of my pack. Unlike Alpha Benjamin who is power and money crazy, the Lotus Pack Alpha---Alpha Marcus is all about harmony and peace. <br /> <br /> Daphne’s aunt Maya has even asked him for permission to let me join the pack and he agreed. That was quick and shocking because Alphas hardly accept outsiders but he did. He is ready to accept an outsider like me and I can stay there as long as I want. <br /> <br /> My phone vibrates with a notification. I open the text from Daphne. <br /> <br /> Aunt told Alpha Marcus everything about your situation. He still wants you to join the pack. Everything is set. Make it out now, C. I am rooting for you. XOXO. *<br /> <br /> Sighing, I send her a quick okay, and thanks before deleting the texts. I don’t want Josh or Alpha Benjamin to find out about it. <br /> <br /> Too lost in my thoughts, I don’t notice when the maid barges inside the room and stands over my head.<br /> <br /> “ Luna wants to see you.” She sneers at me.<br /> <br /> “ Luna? ” My eyes widen.<br /> <br /> Luna Avery is Alpha Benjamin’s mate and wife who likes to take random tours around the world. She is gone every other day and then comes back whenever she wants. No one objects to it or tells her that she should be taking care of her pack instead of running away. <br /> <br /> “ Why do you need to be told everything twice? ” The maid hisses before storming out of the room.<br /> <br /> I am left wondering why she is back now. My heartbeat quickens as different scenarios cross my mind.<br /> <br /> If Alpha Benjamin and Josh are the devil reincarnate, she is the real devil. If she is here then there must be hellfire waiting for me. <br /> <br /> I get to my weak feet and wince slightly. My body still hurts like hell. There is nothing I can do. My healing powers are too weak and it usually takes me lots of time to heal without a wolf.<br /> <br /> Enduring the intense waves of pain, I limp out and approach the dining room. As I near it, my breathing becomes ragged. Different voices sound from inside. <br /> <br /> “ I am telling you Alpha Alexander, we only have two other people in the house. You met the maid. The other girl is also a helper. ” Luna’s sweet voice makes me swallow.<br /> <br /> “ Call her here. ”<br /> <br /> The new voice is like a caress of needed warmth on a cold night. Tingles shoot down my spine, carrying the weight of it throughout my blood. Strange heat pools in my stomach after hearing it. <br /> <br /> It sounds familiar like I have heard it before. <br /> <br /> I shake my head and enter the dining room. My gaze lowers to the floor instinctively. <br /> <br /> “ You called, Luna? ” I lick my lips and ask.<br /> <br /> “ It’s been so long since the last time I saw you. ” Luna surprisingly speaks to me in a tone that is reserved for important people. I am not one of them. I never was. <br /> <br /> “ Greet Alpha Alexander, Layla. ” Alpha Benjamin scoffs.<br /> <br /> I glance up momentarily, but my eyes refuse to look down again.<br /> <br /> My hazel eyes meet with a pair of silver orbs. Sun on Moon. The Bright against All Dark Night. <br /> <br /> Odd energy shoots down my body, reaching my core and tightening every single muscle in me. It’s like getting struck by lightning on a rainy night. The sensation of the current jolting every single part of me awake.<br /> <br /> My breath catches in my throat. I drop my gaze to his proud nose and then to his thick pair of lips. He licks them with the laziness of a predator who finally has the chance to eat its prey and he wants to savor every bite. <br /> <br /> “ Layla? ” He utters my name from his lips.<br /> <br /> I shudder. It sounds too hot. It’s too hot in the room.<br /> <br /> “ Yeah, she is the rascal who got my gamma couple killed. Still, we took pity and gave her shelter inside our home. ” Alpha Benjamin sneers.<br /> <br /> Heat taints my cheeks red, allowing everyone in the room to see my embarrassment marking my skin. I swallow the lump in my throat and look down again.<br /> <br /> My heart is in a race of its own. I don’t even know what or who it is trying to outrun. I clasp my shaky hands together to hold them still.<br /> <br /> “ Why is she bruised? ” The startling voice of the stranger booms. <br /> <br /> I stumble a step back, finding all of this too much. I am weak in my knees. The heat in my body is becoming too much to handle. I have never experienced this before. <br /> <br /> “ She slipped in her bathroom. She is quite clumsy. She got the head of a chicken. ” Josh chuckles.<br /> <br /> It’s utterly humiliating. If I could dig a hole and hide there for the rest of my life, I would have done that by now. <br /> <br /> “ Bathroom? ” His voice drops lower, becoming more throaty. It reverberates in my lower abdomen, almost making me gasp to myself. <br /> <br /> “ Yeah, Alpha! She is like that sometimes. ” Luna adds.<br /> <br /> Silence echoes in the room. I stand there, feeling the scorching heat of his stare on my face. It makes me shift from my left foot to the right uncomfortably.<br /> <br /> “ I need her. ” Alpha Alexander commands. Arrogant, Confident, Non-negotiable. <br /> <br /> My gaze shoots to his face in shock. I stare at the handsome man who can give competition to a Greek God. He is built like a mountain. His muscles are bulging in the tight white dress shirt he is wearing under his black jacket. <br /> <br /> I notice the black ink peeking out of his collar and instantly tear my gaze from his neck to look at his face once more. <br /> <br /> I am the object of his attention even now. His stare never falters. I step back, unable to take it anymore.<br /> <br /> “ Uh, Alpha Alexander. What does that mean exactly? ” Luna speaks up, asking the one question that threatens to split the ground under my feet and swallow me as a whole.<br /> <br /> “ You heard me. I need her. ” Every word of his hits a nerve deep inside me and steals my breath.<br /> <br /> “ She is not up for sale if you think this is an auction. ” Josh hisses, surprising me.<br /> <br /> He is talking about buying me? What the heck!<br /> <br /> “ Shut your mouth. ” Alpha Benjamin growls at Josh.<br /> <br /> “ Dad--- ”<br /> <br /> “ Josh. ” Luna warns him.<br /> <br /> He goes silent. I look at his frustrated glaring eyes and decide it’s better to just stare at the floor.<br /> <br /> “ What are you suggesting, Alpha? ” Luna’s voice comes out breathy and sultry when she questions. <br /> <br /> “ Name the price. What do you want for her? ” The man speaks with indifference and coldness that is rare and makes the whole situation disgusting.<br /> <br /> My heart lurches. I take another step back. It’s impossible to stand on my feet right now. They are talking about selling and buying me like I am a useless piece of furniture. <br /> <br /> “ Why do you want her, Alpha? ” Luna stresses.<br /> <br /> “ I need her. And it’s none of your business. ” The Alpha shuts her up with his harsh voice, a warning lingering on the edge of each word, daring her to try poking her nose in his matter again. <br /> <br /> “ What if we say ten million, Alpha Alexander? Will you be willing to pay? ” Alpha Benjamin chuckles nervously. <br /> <br /> “ You can’t just sell me. I am not up for sale. ” I mutter at last. <br /> <br /> My gaze collides with his scorching eyes again. My soul trembles with the intensity. The tension rises in the air and temperature shoots to a new height.<br /> <br /> “ We will always decide the best for your future, Layla Darling. Don’t doubt it and stay silent. ” Luna speaks pleasantly but there is a hidden warning underneath her words that only I can sense.<br /> <br /> Try speaking again and you shall lose your tongue, that’s what Luna wants me to know. <br /> <br /> My heartbeat pounds in all my organs. I grip my fingers tighter to remain calm.<br /> <br /> I lower my eyes before taking a peek at the silent man and find him typing something on his phone. His brows bunch, as he concentrates and gives off a scary vibe.<br /> <br /> Why is he doing this? Who is he? What does he want from me? <br /> <br /> “ The money is in your pack’s account. Hand her over. ” He pushes the phone back into his jacket’s pocket and stands up.<br /> <br /> Suddenly, the room is too small and everything is too unnecessary. I stumble back when he strides forward, each step taken with deliberate preciseness that leaves my heartbeat drumming in my ears. The world tilts, showing me a new angle that my mind refuses to get accustomed to. <br /> <br /> “ You can take her in the morning. We want to say goodbye to her, Alpha. ” Alpha Benjamin gets up immediately and blocks the path of the man.<br /> <br /> “ No. ” Alpha Alexander refuses without hesitation.<br /> <br /> This can’t be happening. A few more steps and this man will be practically dragging me out of this packhouse. All hopes of escape will be lost in an unfamiliar place. <br /> <br /> On the other hand, I know Alpha Benjamin wants me to stay for the night because he wants to kill my baby before handing me over to this stranger who screams danger in bright red. <br /> <br /> I am stuck. There is an inferno in front of me and the promise of destruction behind me. <br /> <br /> The man pushes Alpha Benjamin out of the way with ease and reaches me. My heartbeat slows down until I can’t even hear it. <br /> <br /> He halts in front of me, leaving a distance of a few inches between us. The moon in his eyes burns into the sun in mine, threatening to consume all the heat and still remain hungry. The intense energy cackles, leaving me breathing hard. <br /> <br /> I only come up to his neck. I have to throw my head back to look at his face from close. He is intimidating in the sense that his closeness leaves me tingling and hot everywhere.<br /> <br /> I take the final step back. My body hits the wall behind me, closing all ways of escape.<br /> <br /> “ I want to stay the night. ” I plead, staring into the silver orbs. “ Please. ”<br /> <br /> A moment of silence passes. He steals a glance at my quivering lips before dragging his gaze to my moist eyes.<br /> <br /> “ Just tonight. ” He steps back easily like he was just waiting for me to speak up.<br /> <br /> I release the breath I held and immediately run out of the dining room. I don’t even care about the crippling pain anymore. <br /> <br /> I can’t go with that man. He will probably do worse things to me.<br /> <br /> I will run tonight and then I will never look back. All these horrible people will be left behind. It will only be me and my baby that this new man doesn’t know about.<br /> <br /> I reach my room and check my bag before hiding it behind the small cupboard in the corner. The door to my room slams open, revealing Luna.<br /> <br /> “ Lu- - - Luna. ” I stutter.<br /> <br /> “ How do you know him? ” She asks, closing the door.<br /> <br /> “ I don’t know him. I swear I have never seen him before. ” I blurt.<br /> <br /> “ Why is he so keen on getting you then? ” She folds her arms over her chest, stopping in the middle of the room.<br /> <br /> “ I - - - I don’t know. ” I can’t recall ever meeting him.<br /> <br /> “ Tell me the truth, Layla. You know I won’t hurt you if you just tell the truth. ” She clicks her tongue.<br /> <br /> “ I swear on Goddess Selene I don’t know. ” I shake my head.<br /> <br /> “ Annoying. ” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “ Anyways, get ready. The doctor will arrive in an hour. Get rid of that filth and go with him in the morning. ” <br /> <br /> My body turns cold at the command. I blink the tears back and stand my ground.<br /> <br /> “ It’s so good to finally be able to get rid of you and to get money for it- - -is like a dream come true. ” She sighs dreamily and walks out of the room.<br /> <br /> It’s all so dirty. They are selling me. That man is buying me. They all think of me as their meaningless possession. <br /> <br /> The door closes. I stand in the same place for some time, waiting for someone else to come. <br /> <br /> I think Josh will come, but I am proved wrong when he doesn’t come even after half an hour. This hints at the fact that Alpha Benjamin must be holding him back. <br /> <br /> It is the best time.<br /> <br /> I dash towards the backpack and sling it on my shoulders. After wearing my worn-out sneakers, I open the only window in my room and sneak out of it. I can never be more grateful for having this room on the ground floor. It makes things easier for me.<br /> <br /> My heart skips many beats when I pass by pack members and then the patrol guards. The thought of someone stopping me or the Alpha finding out about me leaves me breathless but I continue to move.<br /> <br /> After enduring the abuse for so many years, it’s finally time to be free. A sense of relief fills me when I am out of the territory and on my way to the bus stop.<br /> <br /> I run and I never look over my shoulder.<br /> <br /> There is nothing holding me back here. No attachment. No family. No home. <br /> <br /> When I get on the bus for Laxville Town, that’s when I look behind me. A strange feeling of loss fills me as a pair of silver eyes flashes in my head. <br /> <br /> But, I don’t stop.<br /> <br /> I have to do this for the baby. I will protect it with all I have got and I will fight against the rest of the world if I have to.<br /> <br /> Chapter 04<br /> ALEXANDER<br /> <br /> “ They secured the girl, Alpha. ” My Beta and only friend Levi informs me from the driving seat.<br /> <br /> “ Send her to the house. Ask Nina to take care of her. ” I reply <br /> <br /> My eyes train on Alpha Williams’ house in the distance. I can’t wait to barge inside that shitty place and get that sweet thing out of there.<br /> <br /> She looked so fucking scared last night. <br /> <br /> If she didn’t ask me in her seductive voice to leave her there for one night, I would have burned that place down to bring her with me. <br /> <br /> I just can’t wait to taste her again. I have to practice all restraint to stop imagining her body under me. She had felt perfect. Heavenly.<br /> <br /> I had to search for her for a month like a madman. I didn’t expect to find her so easily in this Alpha’s house though.<br /> <br /> Her sweet scent still lingers in my nostrils and over my tongue. But why didn’t she show me the same reaction?<br /> <br /> She was my mate. <br /> <br /> Like me, she must have wanted to throw herself under me, over me, or everywhere she could. That’s wolf nature and you can’t fight it.<br /> <br /> But last night, she acted like she didn’t want me near. There was no hint of recognition on her face for me.<br /> <br /> “ What do I do about Ariana? She keeps calling. ” Levi sighs.<br /> <br /> Ariana is my ex-girlfriend. I threw her out of my house when I found my mate in the club. Now, she keeps pestering me to take her back.<br /> <br /> “ Just tell her to fuck off if she wants to live. ” I wave my hand in the air dismissively.<br /> <br /> “ You are already gone, man. But I am glad you found her after so long. ” Levi shakes his head dreamily as he pulls the car into the driveway.<br /> <br /> Without waiting for him to turn off the engine, I climb out of the car and march straight for the door.<br /> <br /> I need her with me. Right fucking now.<br /> <br /> Before I can stroll inside the open main door, one panicking face comes into my view. It’s the same cartoon from yesterday.<br /> <br /> Johnny or maybe it was John. <br /> <br /> “ Alpha Alexander. Uh, Good Morning! ” He pauses when he sees me, and tries his best to steel his spine.<br /> <br /> I press my lips in a thin line. “ Save the greetings. Bring her to me. ” <br /> <br /> He doesn’t move from his spot. <br /> <br /> I inhale, and the lack of the sweet scent drives my wolf restless.<br /> <br /> “ Bring her to me. Right now. I am not in the mood to play games. ” I repeat, with evident anger.<br /> <br /> “ That’s the thing. ” He runs his hand down his hair agitatedly.<br /> <br /> “ What’s. The. Thing? ” I speak each word through my gritted teeth.<br /> <br /> “ Alpha Alexander. ” The short woman comes running in our direction.<br /> <br /> I shoot a look of disdain to her spilling boobs, and plastic face. She didn’t stop showing them to me last night but I was not interested.<br /> <br /> “ We…We were waiting for you. ” She smiled nervously.<br /> <br /> “ Where is Layla? ” Her beautiful name rolls off my tongue smoothly. It’s the name fit for an angel.<br /> <br /> “ She- - - ” The Luna shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably.<br /> <br /> “ She ran away last night. ” Williams’ voice sounds from behind her.<br /> <br /> Anger rises to the surface. I fist my hands and use my speed to get to him in an instant.<br /> <br /> My hand uncurls and wraps around his throat. I slam his back into the wall, creating a huge crack in it. <br /> <br /> The Alpha claws at my hand. His eyes bulge out due to the suddenness of the attack.<br /> <br /> “ Alpha Alexander! ” Luna gasps, running towards us.<br /> <br /> I throw her a glare. She probably sees my eyes changing color to red so she stops in her tracks.<br /> <br /> I turn to face the struggling man. I can’t see anything but red. I should kill him for being so fucking useless.<br /> <br /> “ Please, Alpha Alexander. ” The woman pleads. “ She was not worth this fight. ” <br /> <br /> Just a little more pressure and his eyes might explode out of his sockets. I release him and throw him against the wall. The crack becomes a hole.<br /> <br /> “ We should have told you before. ” Luna whispers as Alpha Williams slumps to the floor.<br /> <br /> His incompetent son rushes to his aid. I turn to face the cunning woman. My face goes back to wearing the mask of calmness.<br /> <br /> “ What is it? ” I ask.<br /> <br /> “ Layla- - - ” She sighs. “ was a wolfless girl. She didn’t shift when she turned eighteen. ” <br /> <br /> It comes as a shock to me. All plans of a future with her go down the drain with one truth. <br /> <br /> “ She was not worth your money. She couldn’t bear your children if you wanted to turn her into a breeder, and she couldn’t become a warrior if that’s what you intended. She couldn’t even take your knot. She was useless to you. You would have killed her the moment you got too close to her. ” Luna Avery continues.<br /> <br /> Is this woman fucking with me? <br /> <br /> I got more than close to her. I fucked her, emptied my load inside her, and held her until she was ready to let me go.<br /> <br /> “ You better tell me everything you know about her or find her. You have to give her to me if you don’t want me to visit again. ” I state calmly.<br /> <br /> She understands the threat. They all do.<br /> <br /> If they don’t bring me Layla, I will turn their pack into a graveyard. That’s no big deal for me.<br /> <br /> I will decide what I want to do with this wolfless mate once I have her. Maybe, she will be suitable to be a breeder if she could bear a child even without her wolf because I can’t make her my Luna. My pack needs a strong she-wolf as their Luna. I can’t afford a weakness.<br /> <br /> “ The whore was pregnant with a bastard’s child. ” I am about to walk away and launch a search of my own when the incompetent son speaks up.<br /> <br /> My feet freeze on their spot. I forget to breathe.<br /> <br /> “ Pregnant? ” I question.<br /> <br /> “ Yeah! She is a slut. She goes around sleeping with men. She got pregnant by one of them and wanted an abortion. Our pack doctor refused. I am sure she wanted to do it in some other place. She wanted out because we tried to stop her from killing an innocent child. That’s the kind of girl she is. It’s good you didn’t get to take her, Alpha Alexander. ” Avery blurts.<br /> <br /> Each word adds fuel to the fire burning in my eyes and inside my heart.<br /> <br /> “ Find her. Bring her to me when you do. I will decide her fate. ” I utter, storming out of the house.<br /> <br /> I open the car door, take my seat on the passenger side, and close it with a loud bang.<br /> <br /> “ Fucking Goddess! Alpha Alexander, what the fuck happened? ” Levi questions as soon as he feels my anger.<br /> <br /> “ Find her. ” I grit my jaw.<br /> <br /> “ Who? Your mate? ” His green eyes widen.<br /> <br /> “ She ran away with my kid and she is trying to get an abortion. We must find her before she does it. ” I seethe.<br /> <br /> “ Seriously? ” He yelps.<br /> <br /> “ I will kill this fucking girl if she lays a finger on my child. She doesn’t know what she is doing. She doesn’t know who she is dealing with. She is so dead when I get my hands on her. ” I fume.	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1,870,769	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1870912}'	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	457209833681595	Enjoy Romance🥰Read More 👉	She signed the divorce papers and left without taking her phone. He checked her phone and got floored at the message: Please come tomorrow for another prenatal care checkup!<br /> =============<br /> <br /> Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns<br /> <br /> Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. <br /> <br /> All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom."<br /> <br /> Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. <br /> <br /> Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. <br /> <br /> It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. <br /> <br /> Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. <br /> <br /> In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. <br /> <br /> Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. <br /> <br /> She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> He was something to see now. <br /> <br /> "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. <br /> <br /> What? He was on his way out? At this hour? <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> With that, he headed for the door. <br /> <br /> "Mitchel."<br /> <br /> Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. <br /> <br /> Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. <br /> <br /> "What's the matter?"<br /> <br /> There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. <br /> <br /> A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?"<br /> <br /> Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. <br /> <br /> "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. <br /> <br /> Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. <br /> <br /> After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. <br /> <br /> A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was the man in the picture! <br /> <br /> So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? <br /> <br /> This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. <br /> <br /> Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> "Hello!"<br /> <br /> It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. <br /> <br /> Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. <br /> <br /> She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. <br /> <br /> The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. <br /> <br /> Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. <br /> <br /> The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. <br /> <br /> Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. <br /> <br /> After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks.<br /> <br /> At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. <br /> <br /> All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel?<br /> <br /> Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. <br /> <br /> It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. <br /> <br /> 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? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. <br /> <br /> "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?"<br /> <br /> The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. <br /> <br /> "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. <br /> <br /> "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?"<br /> <br /> "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. <br /> <br /> "You know what, forget it!"<br /> <br /> The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. <br /> <br /> They were talking about her as if she were an object. <br /> <br /> Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. <br /> <br /> Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. <br /> <br /> "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?"<br /> <br /> "Yes."<br /> <br /> "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her."<br /> <br /> Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..."<br /> <br /> Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. <br /> <br /> Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. <br /> <br /> The woman was indeed Lauren! <br /> <br /> Absence made the heart grow fonder! <br /> <br /> Every word drove a knife into her heart. <br /> <br /> Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. <br /> <br /> She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. <br /> <br /> "Raegan?"<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Chapter 2 One-sided Love<br /> <br /> Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. <br /> <br /> Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!"<br /> <br /> Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. <br /> <br /> Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? <br /> <br /> With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it."<br /> <br /> Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. <br /> <br /> Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. <br /> <br /> To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. <br /> <br /> Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. <br /> <br /> In the elevator. <br /> <br /> Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. <br /> <br /> She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. <br /> <br /> Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. <br /> <br /> She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. <br /> <br /> Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. <br /> <br /> She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. <br /> <br /> Several employees were chatting inside. <br /> <br /> "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back."<br /> <br /> "And who is that?"<br /> <br /> "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!"<br /> <br /> "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?"<br /> <br /> "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!"<br /> <br /> Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. <br /> <br /> The love was one-sided. <br /> <br /> "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?"<br /> <br /> A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. <br /> <br /> Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. <br /> <br /> The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> Raegan said nothing to that. <br /> <br /> Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool."<br /> <br /> Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself."<br /> <br /> "You..."<br /> <br /> Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. <br /> <br /> The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?"<br /> <br /> It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. <br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. <br /> <br /> Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. <br /> <br /> Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!"<br /> <br /> Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. <br /> <br /> This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. <br /> <br /> Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. <br /> <br /> Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?"<br /> <br /> These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. <br /> <br /> "That's enough!"<br /> <br /> Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. <br /> <br /> The entire room fell silent. <br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me."<br /> <br /> The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. <br /> <br /> Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. <br /> <br /> No one dared to make a sound at this moment. <br /> <br /> Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan could understand why he took this stand. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Was she truly insignificant to him?<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. <br /> <br /> Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. <br /> <br /> "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you."<br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. <br /> <br /> "You..."<br /> <br /> Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. <br /> <br /> Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! <br /> <br /> The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. <br /> <br /> 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!"<br /> <br /> Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. <br /> <br /> "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson."<br /> <br /> "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. <br /> <br /> Tessa trembled at once. <br /> <br /> With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone."<br /> <br /> The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. <br /> <br /> She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..."<br /> <br /> Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards."<br /> <br /> Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here."<br /> <br /> Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. <br /> <br /> Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. <br /> <br /> Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. <br /> <br /> Closing hour soon rolled by. <br /> <br /> Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. <br /> <br /> He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home."<br /> <br /> Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. <br /> <br /> She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. <br /> <br /> In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. <br /> <br /> How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. <br /> <br /> Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. <br /> <br /> Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. <br /> <br /> In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. <br /> <br /> Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. <br /> <br /> Did he come to pick her up? <br /> <br /> At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. <br /> <br /> Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? <br /> <br /> The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. <br /> <br /> Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. <br /> <br /> Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. <br /> <br /> Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. <br /> <br /> Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. <br /> <br /> This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Chapter 3 Let's Divorce<br /> <br /> Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. <br /> <br /> It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. <br /> <br /> Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. <br /> <br /> She was Lauren. <br /> <br /> Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. <br /> <br /> She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. <br /> <br /> Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?"<br /> <br /> Raegan was stunned for a moment. <br /> <br /> She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. <br /> <br /> After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay."<br /> <br /> She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. <br /> <br /> Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. <br /> <br /> When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. <br /> <br /> The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. <br /> <br /> Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. <br /> <br /> Love could move mountains, they said. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. <br /> <br /> As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan froze for a moment. <br /> <br /> Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? <br /> <br /> Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. <br /> <br /> "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. <br /> <br /> Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. <br /> <br /> There were five missed calls from Mitchel. <br /> <br /> This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. <br /> <br /> Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! <br /> <br /> Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. <br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. <br /> <br /> Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. <br /> <br /> Would they have a future? <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. <br /> <br /> Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce."<br /> <br /> "What do you mean?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. <br /> <br /> "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon."<br /> <br /> Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. <br /> <br /> "We will be strangers?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?"<br /> <br /> His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. <br /> <br /> 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... <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. <br /> <br /> It was high time she stopped being a fool. <br /> <br /> Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. <br /> <br /> The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. <br /> <br /> Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. <br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now."<br /> <br /> A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. <br /> <br /> Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. <br /> <br /> Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. <br /> <br /> He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. <br /> <br /> "Stop this, will you?"<br /> <br /> A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. <br /> <br /> He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. <br /> <br /> "You have a fever?"<br /> <br /> Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. <br /> <br /> This made the whole situation complicated. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. <br /> <br /> He then headed for the elevator. <br /> <br /> In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?"<br /> <br /> "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course."<br /> <br /> "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. <br /> <br /> Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital.<br /> <br /> Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. <br /> <br /> "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!"<br /> <br /> &13&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-e	108744435202789	Novellove read	https://facebook.com/100083283215376	5,330	1	1,693,552,791,452,434	2024-06-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	0	Learn more	Novellove read	120213215917250091	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	image		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-fb_contact-enj57-1125-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=216543&accid=790839132906836		2024-06-03 03:34	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447635168_438749022105810_2962904507474111220_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=_IEGrTRAwgcQ7kNvgEhCYNs&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYDPl3QAwV3L-qVjuZVi3v5bOiX-VbgRhIjp9FjQ4N26gg&oe=6669D21B	person_profile	0	moboreader	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447778907_3690944147885379_2060224285940641044_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=O4TRFIF64xYQ7kNvgHbWa-Q&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYC5mvwGKJB9IgOyarZp9IzBp8zAwfz5QX_SHmsjfZ5Ygg&oe=6669CDEC	3	Novellove read	2024-06-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,871,087	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":false,"simple_request_ratio":1,"is_bh_selenium":false,"selenium_ratio":1,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	1569095603662921	$21 Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatment!	Hey Wesley Chapel! For the Next Week, we are giving away 50 Vouchers for a $21 Neuropathy Pain Relief Treatment Session, including a complete Nerve Scan, Consultation, and 16-Point Exam to help you understand what you're experiencing and discover the quickest path to relief from pain! (Normally a $300 Total Value)⁣⁣⁣⁣<br /> ⁣<br /> This exclusive offer combines our most effective treatments:⁣<br /> ✅ Electromagnetic Infrared Therapy to stimulate blood flow and repair nerves⁣<br /> ✅ Electric Stimulation for Nerve Re-Education, offering immediate pain relief⁣<br /> ✅ Advanced Nutrition Therapy to support optimal tissue and nerve repair⁣<br /> ✅ A Comprehensive In-Clinic Protocol tailored to your progress and needs<br /> <br /> Ready to take control and alleviate pain? Click below to sign up and claim your voucher now!⁣⁣	LEARN_MORE	https://www.optimizewellnessflorida.net/optin	106592115527961	Optimize Wellness	https://facebook.com/TheNeuropathyDoc	78	2	784,545,960,484,222	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	Optimize Wellness	120211546422180454	optimizewellnessflorida.net	NONE	image	Book an appointment today.	https://www.optimizewellnessflorida.net/optin		2024-06-03 09:14	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447301994_1164367718048445_1523682855131210483_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=xgH97C1qyecQ7kNvgHm3thq&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYDSV1jQVCSLu0OFiejczjUULaGk9K9OLVlowFa4zMra9A&oe=6669FC53	person_profile	0	Optimize Wellness	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447634252_1044375583967512_3437503440604403297_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zW4YQHhzazoQ7kNvgGoZ1CO&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYCNsM_twd2vRjz6RKXqSjxO6rMUHcH9oD0CCErdG_Dg9A&oe=6669F7CE	3	Optimize Wellness	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,871,052	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1871045}'	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	1554814038410382	💡 Breakthrough Solutions for Lowering A1C Levels Instantly! 🌿🚀	Take charge of your health with these innovative, natural methods that are helping Americans quickly reduce their A1C levels. 🩺✨ Start feeling better now with these groundbreaking tips! 🌿💪	LEARN_MORE	https://topicwisdom.com/top-5-ways-to-lower-your-a	149501181582068	TopicWisdom Site	https://facebook.com/61552793430381	373	2	350,971,314,376,572	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	TopicWisdom Site	120208961720930038	topicwisdom.com	NONE	image	Lowering your A1C is crucial for managing diabetes effectively, as it reduces the risk of serious complications such as heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve problems. By keeping your A1C levels in check, you can maintain better overall health and enjoy a higher quality of life.Lowering A1C levels...	https://topicwisdom.com/top-5-ways-to-lower-your-a1c-levels?utm_campaign=tw-a1c-tg1-fb-us-lk-0607-GE02&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=tg1&utm_content=a1c&utm_medium=lk		2024-06-07 16:49	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447729233_1503441083861312_1517636578396148835_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=T5gwf4w9RwQQ7kNvgGPo6CO&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYDw7g8hd4IhKOSwxQTX5XSyNH0tSGzKcx8SP1PD5n_-JQ&oe=6669D3B5	person_profile	0			3	TopicWisdom Site	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,870,879	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1871057}'	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	482298554242623		S2/EP4 “WORLDBUILDING & DIESELPUNK vs DECOPUNK- AN INTERVIEW with author <span class="_39_n">Todd Downing</span>"<br /> This time I interview DECOPUNK Author TODD DOWNING about Worldbuilding and why he calls his creations DECOPUNK vs DIESELPUNK!<br /> (Don't miss the BONUS CLIP at the end saluting Dieselpunk!)<br /> <br /> LEARN MORE ABOUT TODD:<br /> Author Site:<br /> <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.todddowning.com%2F&h=AT3BjjWKlYvPN3IAuKnce80Urw_Mg8lDiS6nsX_pA5IT6sU-uh9PLkEuLnnjzy7gp0uid4enSbUlOBvgmYFoZGuHnBF_O6Qx4X-od-s9thV27Pscg7g0xpdYutzNTFUKdIhUKHGshJydnw" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://www.todddowning.com/</a><br /> <br /> Airship Daedalus Radio Program:<br /> <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fairshipdaedalus.com%2Fradio%2F&h=AT0ik9j-0FhJnXiuMljSq20DUQdGrqbMS77lv41k2AsnLCHIYIy0ZYldisbrlwQ6yhyKHoEEUUjriseJOYFgEUvr4LQHUWz8axa4j9bS6oPoP_WVHlI9VaHsnhzwBnuDyneGwZ9w5hqO8rRwnkwM5nyBYCM" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="async">https://airshipdaedalus.com/radio/</a><br /> <br /> Browse Previous Episodes of UNPACKING DIESELPUNK:<br /> <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fchannel%2FUCPaQUGUbSKZ1mCttrx0yfpA&h=AT0y0G1VQfGN98wYA8bjW7ZhvLex9ND-gzXvgSgducIT7tRa-Sts7Q_kyEGaYQjgjI2ZxjX0LcmxnkIZGs1L8ucy_CF_WF38gLyfcWVI8ZoDdCFsDzamG0FG1k2_k0k8LToFPLqjf9MDhg" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPaQUGUbSKZ1mCttrx0yfpA</a><br /> <br /> #dieselpunk #steampunk #steampunkart #history #storytelling #ww2 #dieselpunkart #fantasy #fantasyart #tabletopgaming #rpg			342830676139835	Portsmouth Aeroshipbuilding Co.	https://facebook.com/aeroshipyard	4,165	1	443,931,818,374,355	2024-06-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0		Portsmouth Aeroshipbuilding Co.	6642287788334		NONE	video				2024-06-07 21:04	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447845978_979481993970154_3647098687907081354_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=sQrwnLuUBQQQ7kNvgE3YjIq&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYB6mNvMPKBVAvpi66DO9lzBU8I63Xgk6MFdqKiZj7VARA&oe=6669E1F9	person_profile	0	Portsmouth Aeroshipbuilding Co	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447901218_1777412082748920_3731186091530952968_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=JznOp-gMtfoQ7kNvgGpf7T1&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYCFIsCFcQ0RBrVrznWdNc6-rNU2skgk3L6HYlm3E2CeyQ&oe=6669EFD8	3	Portsmouth Aeroshipbuilding Co.	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
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1,871,051	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	1166931514492519	Read next chapter👉	She fell in love with the ordinary man, but found out that he had been secretly taking revenge on her for his dead fiancée. She fled heartbroken, but he searched for her everywhere frantically...<br /> =====<br /> The day Grace was released from prison, two men were waiting for her. One of them sent her to prison, and the other one convicted her.<br /> "Grace, get yourself a job and be a good person out there."The prison guard opened the gate and told her so.<br /> Grace nodded. Through the iron bar on the prison window, she saw two black cars parked out of the gate. Waiting for her.<br /> They were Jacob's Benz G-Wagon and Sean's Porsche Panamera.<br /> One of them was Grace's ex-boyfriend, and the other one was her childhood best friend.<br /> <br /> How affectionate and caring they looked! If they hadn't sent Grace to prison and told the other inmates to "take good care" of her, maybe she would be moved to tears.<br /> <br /> Five years ago, Grace went to confront Lily Atkinson, and her sister Jennifer Atkinson was also there. In an unfortunate turn of events, Jennifer Atkinson died. Although it was a terrible accident, the court still decided to sentence Grace to three years in prison.<br /> <br /> Lily dragged her sister's lifeless body out of the car and called the police. Sean arrived soon after.<br /> <br /> "Sean, your girlfriend killed my sister!" Lily sat on the ground and cried out.<br /> <br /> Sean's first reaction was to push Grace down onto the ground in case she ran away.<br /> <br /> But Grace was already too weak to resist because she'd also been hurt. What's more... she was pregnant with Sean's baby.<br /> <br /> "How could you be so evil?!" When Jacob rushed over, his eyes were blood shot as he questioned Grace.<br /> <br /> Before Grace could explain to the two most important men in her life, she was handcuffed by the police.<br /> <br /> In court, Lily's lawyer was Jacob, Grace's childhood best friend, another blow to her heart.<br /> <br /> Jacob blamed everything on Grace. She was convicted of reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.<br /> <br /> "Grace, you deserve this. People have to pay for their mistakes," he said.<br /> <br /> When Grace first got into prison, she was beaten constantly. She was beaten in places without security cameras and had her nails pulled out. She was yanked by the hair and pressed into toilets. Her back was always being kicked, and it was bruised all the time.<br /> <br /> They even broke the bones in her finger, one by one.<br /> <br /> At first, Grace didn't know why. She was always stubborn and didn't cry when they hit her.<br /> <br /> But after a while, Grace found out why they picked on her exclusively. Grace sucked up to one of the female bosses in prison. She would wash her feet, give her maages, and even do her laundry. Finally, she gained the trust of the female boss, and she told Grace why.<br /> <br /> "Girl, you poor little thing. Someone paid us to beat you."<br /> <br /> Grace knew who it was then in that instant. Sean.<br /> <br /> This was the man who ordered two hundred drones to spell out "I LOVE YOU" in the night sky when he was pursuing her.<br /> <br /> He said, "Grace, I will protect you from now on."<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Upon seeing their cars outside the prison gates, Grace begged the prison guard to let her leave from the back door, to avoid seeing either of their faces.<br /> <br /> Besides, what if they were still angry with her and wanted to take their revenge?<br /> <br /> I am nothing compared to them. I can't afford to provoke them, but at least I can hide. Grace thought to herself.<br /> <br /> In a trance, Grace remembered her confrontation with Lily. Lily stood in front of Grace while holding her dog and shouted, "My dog is worth 70,000 dollars. How much is your grandfather's life worth?"<br /> <br /> When Grace was three, her mother died and her father remarried. He abandoned her so her grandfather raised her all by himself.<br /> <br /> Her grandfather worked night and day collecting junk and empty bottles for recycling.<br /> <br /> When Grace was in junior high, she moved to the city from the countryside and lived in a small rental apartment. Her grandfather told her that they could make more money in the city because there was more junk to collect.<br /> <br /> But Grace knew the true reason why her grandfather wanted her to go to school in the city.<br /> <br /> The children in the city had shiny hairpins, and Grace wanted them too.<br /> <br /> Grace's grandfather once stood outside a small accessories store for hours, then he finally went inside to buy the expensive shiny hairpin for Grace.<br /> <br /> When the school offered financial aid to students from poverty-stricken families, Grace's teacher Mrs. Green helped her apply for it. That's when Grace met Jacob, Mrs. Green's son, whom she asked to make friends with Grace.<br /> <br /> Jacob had the best scores at school. He occasionally helped Grace with her studies. She was clever and studious, so her grades improved very fast.<br /> <br /> Grace's grandfather was very grateful to Mrs. Green, but he didn't have any money, so he offered to help tend her garden.<br /> <br /> Mrs. Green lived in a small cottage. Her grandfather swept the garden while Jacob and Grace did their homework and played in the yard.<br /> <br /> Mrs. Green joked to Grace's grandfather, "Your little granddaughter is so beautiful and adorable. How about she and Jacob make a cute couple?"<br /> <br /> "No, no, Jacob is too good. We don't deserve him," he rubbed his hands nervously and said.<br /> <br /> Jacob blushed so much that he didn't even dare to raise his head.<br /> <br /> When Grace was accepted by a top university, her grandfather went back to the countryside. He didn't let Grace go back with him, but she followed him back secretly anyways.<br /> <br /> That's when Grace saw him begging friends for money to cover her college tuition.<br /> <br /> Grace's grandfather did his best to give her everything. Grace vowed in her heart that she would grow up to be a top lawyer so that her grandfather would never have to work again.<br /> <br /> He was the best grandfather that anyone could have asked for, but then... he died.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The year after law school, Grace started dating Sean of the rich and powerful Stevens family. Suddenly, her father wanted to be in her life again, all because of who she was dating.<br /> <br /> "What a nice young man. Bless you two."<br /> <br /> This was what her grandfather said the day she took Sean to meet him.<br /> <br /> "You are a big girl now. A big girl should have beautiful dresses. My pretty Grace should not wear shabby clothes," her grandpa added.<br /> <br /> So he continued to collect junk to make money behind her back.<br /> <br /> Grace told him not to, many times. He was getting too old, and Grace was worried about his health.<br /> <br /> It was a winter three years ago.<br /> <br /> He was tackled by an unleashed dog in the park when he was collecting junk.<br /> <br /> He fell unconscious on the spot and was rushed to the hospital.<br /> <br /> It was Lily's dog. She said it was worth 70,000 dollars.<br /> <br /> That day, Grace's grandpa was sent to the ICU. Due to a fracture of the cervical spine and spinal damage, he became paralyzed.<br /> <br /> Grace needed to pay a lot of money to the hospital, so she went to Lily for compensation. It was her dog after all.<br /> <br /> Lily stood in front of Grace and said arrogantly, "You are Sean's girlfriend? You didn't get money from him, so you came to me?" Lily had always liked Sean, but he was dating Grace at the time.<br /> <br /> "My dog's leg is broken because of your idiot grandfather, I should be the one asking you for money!"<br /> <br /> "You and your grandpa are just a bunch of country bumpkin. You both deserve to die."<br /> <br /> Grace didn't hold back. She really couldn't. So, she slapped Lily across the face.<br /> <br /> Lily and Grace started to fight. Jennifer, who was Lily's sister, saw this and came to help.<br /> <br /> Grace couldn't fight two girls as she was pregnant and weak, so she got into her car and wanted to drive away, but Jennifer chased after her in her fancy convertible. That's when the accident happened.<br /> <br /> Grace was arrested by the police. She didn't even try to escape. Her grandfather was in the hospital, but no one would listen to a "murderer".<br /> <br /> Grace kept shouting Sean's and Jacob's names. Grace hoped that at least one of them could save her grandfather's life.<br /> <br /> But they were on the side of Jennifer and Lily.<br /> <br /> When Grace was detained, she heard that her grandfather had been in the ICU for 15 days and was discharged.<br /> <br /> But he became paralyzed for life, and he didn't want to be a burden to Grace so he committed suicide.<br /> <br /> That day, Grace was lying on the ice-cold ground and had a miscarriage.<br /> <br /> She couldn't save either her grandfather... or her baby.<br /> <br /> When Grace was locked up in prison, Lily went to see her.<br /> <br /> Lily whispered to Grace, "My dog has always been obedient. Guess why my dog tackled your grandfather?"<br /> <br /> The dog didn't know anything, he only followed his owner's orders, and his owner's heart... was vicious.<br /> <br /> Lily hated Grace because she was dating Sean.<br /> <br /> Grace had a lot of time to think while she was in prison. She blamed herself for the death of her grandfather. Lily would've never harmed her grandfather if she didn't date Sean.<br /> <br /> Grace had a dream that her grandfather came back to life, and he told her how she was a good girl. Grace knew then it was just a dream because she was not a good girl like her grandfather said, she was a piece of garbage.<br /> <br /> If she could turn back time, she wouldn't want any shinny hairpins or any nice dresses, and she most certainly wouldn't want Sean.<br /> <br /> The only thing she wants is just to have her grandfather back.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> "Aah!" Grace opened her eyes suddenly. Only then did she realize that she had been dreaming of what had happened all those years ago.<br /> <br /> She looked down at her calloused hands.<br /> <br /> After three years of imprisonment, and multiple fractures and broken bones, her hands would never look or feel the same way again.<br /> <br /> Her fingernails had grown back, but the prison doctors hadn't gone out of their way to reset her bones.<br /> <br /> Her joints looked distorted, and she had residual pain. I was nerve damage.<br /> <br /> There were many fine movements that she couldn't perform very well.<br /> <br /> Her fingers hurt more especially when it was cold or humid outside.<br /> <br /> Grace flexed her hands and breathed deeply.<br /> <br /> It's okay. You're okay.<br /> <br /> Today is a new day.<br /> <br /> She repeated the mantra as she stood up and resumed working.<br /> <br /> Sometimes, the memories threatened to consume her.<br /> <br /> She'd lost more than just her freedom in that accident.<br /> <br /> Her future. Her boyfriend. Her grandpa.<br /> <br /> Everyone and everything she'd cared about was gone in an instant.<br /> <br /> Jennifer Atkinson whom she'd accidentally killed was the daughter of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country. What's more, she was the fianc茅e of Jason Reed--the most powerful man in the city.<br /> <br /> It's okay. You're okay.<br /> <br /> Today is a new day.<br /> <br /> You don't need anybody.<br /> <br /> Grace finished mopping the room.<br /> <br /> She was wearing the bright-colored work suit of a sanitation worker with her long hair tied into a simple ponytail.<br /> <br /> She caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror on the wall. Her delicate face was slightly reddish due to the cold weather, and her mouth was pressed into a thin line.<br /> <br /> If you were to only look at her face, you would think she was a student who had just graduated from college. But gone was that youthful ignorance.<br /> <br /> She'd seen how cruel the world could be.<br /> <br /> The eyes that stared back at her were old, far older, and duller than they should be.<br /> <br /> She sighed and rolled the cleaning supplies toward the door.<br /> <br /> Sitting down for a few minutes had been foolish.<br /> <br /> She hadn't meant to drift off to sleep.<br /> <br /> With an eye on the time, she moved quickly and efficiently to clean the rest of the building.<br /> <br /> The life of a sanitation worker wasn't glamorous, but after she left prison, this was the only job she could find.<br /> <br /> When she was about to leave, she heard a colleague watching the news on her mobile phone.<br /> <br /> "Whoa! Lily is engaged to Sean Stevens! What a lucky girl Lily is! As a superstar and a daughter of a rich and powerful family, now she is going to marry into the wealthy Stevens family too."<br /> <br /> Grace shuddered, and then she hurried out of the Sanitation Service Center.<br /> <br /> She took a deep breath. Then another.<br /> <br /> She repeated her mantra and pushed the thoughts of her ex-boyfriend and his new fianc茅e far from her mind.<br /> <br /> She swept the walkway as this was her routine.<br /> <br /> This time of year, the cold winter wind blew and it pained her hands terribly.<br /> <br /> She should've stopped to grab her coat, but she'd been too fixated on escaping her co-worker and any more 鈥榞ood news' about the happy couple.<br /> <br /> A couple that had stood by and watched as she was savagely beaten.<br /> <br /> Suddenly, a Ferrari stopped in front of her.<br /> <br /> Three men and a woman got out of the car; they were obviously drunk.<br /> <br /> One of the men looked at Grace with a tipsy expression. He laughed cruelly. "I know you. What are the odds of finding Sean's ex-girlfriend?"<br /> <br /> Grace paled. She wasn't expecting to encounter anyone tonight, let alone someone she recognized.<br /> <br /> The man in front of her was a trust fund baby that she had once cussed out when he'd made a pa* at her back when she was dating Sean.<br /> <br /> In hindsight, many of Sean's friends were elitist creeps. She should've paid more attention to that, after all, birds of a feather flock together.<br /> <br /> "Aren't you a great lawyer? Why are you sweeping the road here?" Christopher Peterson asked knowingly.<br /> <br /> Another man stepped forward after Christopher. Grace didn't recognize him. "Can a woman who has been in prison be a lawyer again?" he questioned.<br /> <br /> The woman laughed. "Bah, a lawyer? Just a janitor now!"<br /> <br /> Christopher stepped closer. "Surely there are better ways for you to make money. Come with me," he said. "I'll pay you for a night, beats sweeping the streets."<br /> <br /> He held out his big, fat hand and the other three burst into laughter.<br /> <br /> But Christopher wasn't asking, he was already moving in on Grace.<br /> <br /> Grace dodged, but the building was right behind her and there was nowhere to run. He grabbed her arms and pressed her against the wall at the side of the road.<br /> <br /> It was late at night, and no one paed by this area.<br /> <br /> She screamed but she knew her coworkers inside the building wouldn't hear.<br /> <br /> Christopher's friends got back into the car. They didn't care what Christopher did to her.<br /> <br /> He knocked her head back against the wall, and her vision dimmed.<br /> <br /> The hand around her throat tightened and she clawed at it. "L-let me go..."<br /> <br /> He used his free hand to pull at his belt, and Grace kicked out hard, kneeing him in the groin.<br /> <br /> "You bch!" He backhanded her so hard that her ears started to ring.<br /> <br /> When she kicked again, he jumped backward, and it was just the chance she needed. Grace took off running.<br /> <br /> Christopher blocked the way to her building, so she had no choice but to run down the street.<br /> <br /> Construction on the road limited the traffic and the late hour ensured there was no one to help her--or to hear her scream.<br /> <br /> When the car roared to life and tires screeched, she knew he hadn't abandoned the chase. She stuck to the sidewalk thinking she could evade them, but when she turned down a side street, the car jumped the curb and followed.<br /> <br /> When she came out the other side and circled back down the next street, thinking she could run back to the Sanitation Center for safety, the car cut around her and clipped her.<br /> <br /> She collapsed to the ground and struggled to get up.<br /> <br /> Christopher leaped out of the car and left it running. His two friends fanned out on either side. The headlights all but blinded her.<br /> <br /> She scrambled to stand as Christopher pulled off his belt. He shook his head at Grace. "You didn't think I forgot the way you insulted me, did you? You told Sean to stop working with me, it cost my family millions!"<br /> <br /> He advanced on her like a predator.<br /> <br /> "Sean isn't here to protect you now." He coiled his belt around his hand like he meant to strike her with it.<br /> <br /> "Fight all you like, but I'm going to fk you like the bch you are, right here on the street."<br /> <br /> Grace struggled to get up, she didn't think anything was broken, but she was still slow and disoriented.<br /> <br /> When Christopher lunged, she tried to move, but his heavy body pinned her to the concrete. He fumbled at her clothes and she fought.<br /> <br /> "Stop! Get off me!"<br /> <br /> She thrashed even as he brought his hand down with the belt. It burned the skin along her arm and the buckle cut through her clothes and skin.<br /> <br /> "Stop it! Stop!!!" Grace cried at the top of her lungs.<br /> <br /> "I think you should listen to the lady." A cold voice sounded behind her.<br /> <br /> Christopher froze.<br /> <br /> Grace turned her head to the man standing beside them. She didn't know where he came from.<br /> <br /> "F*** off!" Christopher told him.<br /> <br /> Christopher didn't feel scared of the man, it was three against one.<br /> <br /> Grace whimpered. She had no reason to think this newcomer would risk himself for some stranger on the street.<br /> <br /> Chapter 2 Unlikely Rescuer<br /> Terrence Klein shifted in the front seat of the car and considered his options.<br /> <br /> His boss, Jason Reed, had approached the group near the sports car. The headlights showed the woman on the ground and the three men.<br /> <br /> He better not go crazy...<br /> <br /> Terrence had seen his boss Jason lose it before.<br /> <br /> It was terrifying.<br /> <br /> He glanced around, gauging if there were any traffic cameras on this deserted stretch of road or if there were any other bystanders who might witness Jason killing somebody.<br /> <br /> He prayed it wouldn't go that far.<br /> <br /> But he knew Jason and what he was capable of.<br /> <br /> This was going to be bloody, and brutal.<br /> <br /> Tonight, the road had already been closed, so who would have expected that five people and a Ferrari would break in here?<br /> <br /> They'd disturbed Jason, who wanted to be alone.<br /> <br /> Every year on this day, Jason always closed this whole road and stayed on it alone, wearing old clothes.<br /> <br /> No one dared to ask the reason as if it were taboo.<br /> <br /> Terrence who had worked for Jason all these years didn't know the reason either.<br /> <br /> At this moment, as he watched his boss lift a heavyset man with ease and slam his head against the wall over and over, he did not know whether he should stop him.<br /> <br /> He got out of the car.<br /> <br /> Beating up some would-be rapists was one thing. Killing them... wouldn't be so easy to overlook. Or clean up.<br /> <br /> And the men on this road were driving a Ferrari not a Ford.<br /> <br /> Which meant, like Jason, they had money.<br /> <br /> He started toward Jason and then paused when just as suddenly, his boss stopped fighting the man.<br /> <br /> "Stop. Please." Grace touched the stranger's arm. "If you punch him again, he'll die."<br /> <br /> "So what?" the man said. He balled his fist as Christopher slid down the wall.<br /> <br /> Grace was stunned. It wasn't until this moment that she really was able to see the man clearly.<br /> <br /> He was handsome. With dark eyes and a strong jaw. Full lips and a strong body.<br /> <br /> His hair was longer on top and stylishly messy.<br /> <br /> When Christopher shuffled back and got to his feet, the man took a menacing step toward him.<br /> <br /> "Don't," Grace said. "He isn't worth it."<br /> <br /> The man's dark eyes cut into her. He looked deadly and still as if people's lives meant nothing to him at all.<br /> <br /> Grace took a deep breath and said, "It is not worth being imprisoned for a lowlife like him."<br /> <br /> The man didn't nod nor move, but she sensed him relaxing.<br /> <br /> Christopher took advantage of the pause to grab his friends and get back into his car. "You'll pay for this!" he screamed.<br /> <br /> Grace didn't know if he was addressing her, the stranger, or maybe both.<br /> <br /> Whatever there wasn't much Christopher could do that she hadn't already experienced in prison.<br /> <br /> The woman who'd been with these bastards stuck her head out of the car. "Holy sht! Is that Jason Reed!?"<br /> <br /> The other three men looked at her with shock as they climbed into the car and one asked, "Jason Reed, the richest man in the city? No fucking way."<br /> <br /> Grace understood their confusion.<br /> <br /> The man--her savior--wore old clothes. He looked... as broken as she did.<br /> <br /> This was no billionaire. His jacket was threadbare, and his face was haunted.<br /> <br /> Christopher peeled out with his ahole buddies.<br /> <br /> Grace watched the car tear up the street. When the road was once again quiet, she looked back at the man.<br /> <br /> Grace hesitantly said, "Thank you... for saving me back there."<br /> <br /> He grunted, but beyond that, didn't say anything.<br /> <br /> When he walked across to the other side of the road, he sat down with his back against the wall.<br /> <br /> It was cold and windy. And the temperature was due to drop even lower. If he were to sleep on the road for the night, would he be alive tomorrow morning?<br /> <br /> After considering that the man had saved her, Grace started walking over to him.<br /> <br /> "Hey, it's been a rough night. Aren't you going home now? Where is your family? Do you have their phone number? I can help you call them and ask them to pick you up."<br /> <br /> He slowly raised his head and Grace saw... death.<br /> <br /> It was the same darkness she'd seen in her own eyes too many times when she'd been in prison.<br /> <br /> The kind of darkness that spoke of nothing to live for. No hope.<br /> <br /> "If you have nowhere to stay, you can stay with me," she said.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Grace did not expect to bring a stranger back to her apartment. She wasn't impulsive by nature, and she certainly hadn't dated anyone or even considered hooking up with a man since her experience with Sean.<br /> <br /> But this man had saved her from rape, maybe even death.<br /> <br /> She shuddered at the thought.<br /> <br /> Those men, the three of them were soulless... and how could that woman watch on while she was beaten up? As an attorney, she would've fought hard to see all of them in prison for their crimes or complacency in it. But life had taught her that the innocent rarely prevailed.<br /> <br /> And life was never fair.<br /> <br /> So why did she bring this man home?<br /> <br /> Hmm. Perhaps she wasn't ready to concede just yet.<br /> <br /> Her apartment wasn't large. It was just one room with a small kitchen and bathroom. She grabbed a blanket from the closet and laid it on the floor. She took her pillow from the bed and placed it on the ground.<br /> <br /> "The bathroom is just through there," she said.<br /> <br /> He crossed to it and closed the door behind him. The water kicked on a moment later.<br /> <br /> When the man came out of the bathroom, his hair was wet. He had washed his hair and face. His sleeves were rolled up.<br /> <br /> Looking at the man's wet hair, Grace fetched a towel and said, "Bend over, please."<br /> <br /> The man fixed his eyes on her.<br /> <br /> "I just want to help you dry your hair with a towel. I have no bad intentions," she said. "If you don't dry your wet hair, you could easily catch a cold."<br /> <br /> He still gazed at her but slowly complied. After a few minutes, he asked in a deep voice, "Are you concerned about me?"<br /> <br /> "Yes." Grace did not avoid eye contact with him. "After bringing you to my home, I don't want you to get sick."<br /> <br /> With his eyes taking her in like she was some oddity, he slowly bent over.<br /> <br /> Toweling his wet hair, Grace asked, "What's your name?"<br /> <br /> He remained silent for a long time, but finally answered, "Jay."<br /> <br /> "Jay," Grace repeated his name. It was a very common name, so Grace didn't think much about it.<br /> <br /> "My name is Grace. Where do you live? What about your family?"<br /> <br /> "I don't have any family," he responded.<br /> <br /> She suddenly stopped.<br /> <br /> How sad. No one should be alone.<br /> <br /> She had people before--but they'd turned their backs on her.<br /> <br /> "Looks like we're in the same boat," she said with a bitter smile on her face as she continued to towel his hair dry.<br /> <br /> She rose and got a comb and came back to him. These were small gestures--intimate ones--to touch his hair and smooth it away from his face. But this stranger--Jay--had risked his life for her. It was the least she could do.<br /> <br /> As she pushed his hair back, the true features of his face were revealed. He was a devastatingly attractive man. Strong jaw. Full mouth. Dark eyes.<br /> <br /> Eyes that were inches from hers and searing her in the place where she stood.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3 Broken family bond<br /> Are you hungry?<br /> <br /> His dark eyes studied her and he tilted his head. What?<br /> <br /> When he still didn't reply, she wrung her hands together. "I'll get you something to eat."<br /> <br /> Grace moved to the tiny stove and threw some noodles and eggs into the pot to make a simple bowl of noodles for him. She didn't have any meat, but she chopped what vegetables she had and added them too.<br /> <br /> She set the tiny table and poured them both a gla of water from the sink. He moved cautiously to take a seat when she set the bowls down.<br /> <br /> "Eat, but don't eat too fast. It's quite hot," she said.<br /> <br /> She didn't mean to treat him like a child, but his presence made her nervous even as there was something incredibly calming about him.<br /> <br /> He lowered his head and ate his noodles quietly. Grace also stared at him in silence.<br /> <br /> Normally, she'd come home and hate the feeling of being alone, confined in a tiny space. For some reason, the loneliness that she'd usually feel seemed to have disappeared. Could it be due to the presence of another person in the room?<br /> <br /> After he had finished eating, Grace cleaned up the plates. "I usually sleep with the lights on. I hope you don't mind," she said. Ever since she was released from prison, she had gotten into the habit.<br /> <br /> "That's fine."<br /> <br /> Grace took her pajamas into the bathroom and shut the door to brush her teeth and change. Was it weird having a man alone beside where she'd sleep? Yeah. Probably.<br /> <br /> But she didn't feel triggered by his presence of fearful.<br /> <br /> If he'd wanted to hurt her, he wouldn't have defended her on the street.<br /> <br /> When she exited and lay down on the bed, he took his position on the floor.<br /> <br /> The room was silent save for the sound of the heater. If she listened hard enough, she could hear each breath he took.<br /> <br /> It was a steady rhythm, peaceful even.<br /> <br /> Grace closed her eyes and focused on sleeping. This was her routine every night because it was almost impossible for her to relax. Even being out of jail, at night she would always dream of her time in prison.<br /> <br /> She would be beaten, shamed, and abused... and every finger would burn with the pain of being broken and the nails being torn off...<br /> <br /> She'd wake up screaming, fingers curled, terrified, and heart pounding.<br /> <br /> However, oddly, that didn't happen tonight.<br /> <br /> She slept until sunrise and was not visited by her usual nightmares.<br /> <br /> As she awakened, she rolled over to look at the figure lying on the ground beside her bed.<br /> <br /> Still here.<br /> <br /> Was it because of him? Because she was no longer alone in this room?<br /> <br /> Before she even knew it, she had gotten out of bed, squatted down, and placed her hand on his cheek. Her hand felt warm.<br /> <br /> He was real, and not something from her imagination.<br /> <br /> Last night, she really had taken a strange man into her apartment.<br /> <br /> When she came to herself, she found that he was already awake. His beautiful eyes were fixed on her.<br /> <br /> "Sorry." Her face heated with embarrament. "I... I just... that... If you don't have anywhere to go, you can also live here."<br /> <br /> She spoke in a hurry, but after she had said it, she felt relieved.<br /> <br /> His eyes widened with a trace of surprise.<br /> <br /> "If you don't want to, just pretend I didn't say anything," she added, biting her lip.<br /> <br /> His mouth finally opened and he spoke quietly. "Do you want me?"<br /> <br /> If this had been said by some other man, it would've sounded like they were flirting with her.<br /> <br /> But when the words came from him, it was like he was just asking a simple question of "want" or "don't want" and she aumed he meant it to mean his presence here. She didn't read any ambiguity into his words, even if there had been, she realized her answer would be the same. Grace pursed her lips. "Yes, I do."<br /> <br /> He stared at her, and a smile slowly formed on his lips. "Good."<br /> <br /> This was the first time she had seen him smile. Although it was very light... it looked extremely beautiful to her.<br /> <br /> *<br /> <br /> Jason remained at the tiny table while Grace got ready to go back to work. When she left money on the table for him to buy himself some food, he sat staring at the twenty-dollar bill for a long time.<br /> <br /> With her gone, the room was eerily still.<br /> <br /> None of her light vanilla scent or somewhat nervous energy filled the space. He rolled up the quilt that he'd slept on and then washed out the coffee cup he'd used.<br /> <br /> Normally he'd be tempted to look around, maybe snoop a bit. But he didn't want to intrude on her space.<br /> <br /> When he finally left the apartment, there were already people waiting for him outside.<br /> <br /> After seeing him come out, they respectfully greeted him, "Mr. Reed."<br /> <br /> "Let's go," Jason responded faintly.<br /> <br /> A black Bentley was parked in front of him. Jason got into it and looked at the twenty-dollar bill in his hand. It had been many years since someone had given him money like this. On the contrary, for as long as he could remember, people only wanted to take money from him.<br /> <br /> Terrence met his gaze in the rearview mirror. "The woman who was with you last night is a contract worker of the Sanitation Service Center. She started renting her current residence here a month ago, and was just released from prison two months prior."<br /> <br /> "Prison?"<br /> <br /> "Yes, her name is Grace Cummins. She's the ex-girlfriend of Sean of the Stevens family. She was convicted of reckless driving and killing Jennifer Atkinson. She was sentenced to three years of imprisonment and had her lawyer's license revoked," Terrence said as he carefully observed Jason's reaction.<br /> <br /> Jason kept his expression bland. "Grace..." he whispered. "Well, this is interesting."<br /> <br /> Back then, considering how Jennifer Atkinson had been set on marrying him and that she was also a good political marriage candidate, he thought that if he had to marry someone, then she wouldn't be that bad of an option.<br /> <br /> However, who would've thought that Jennifer would end up dying in a car accident?<br /> <br /> If Grace knew about his past relationship with Jennifer, how would she react?<br /> He considered that twenty-dollar bill again.<br /> <br /> When had someone cared for him? Taken his hand, brought him into her home, and said she'd wanted him--just for him.<br /> <br /> "Terrence. I want all the information you can find on Grace Cummins on my desk today."<br /> <br /> "Yes sir." Then... "Sir, are you interested in this woman?"<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> When she got off work, Grace got a call from her father asking her to go home. He said that since she had been released from prison, she should go home to pay her respects to her mother.<br /> <br /> Grace's mother died when she was three.<br /> <br /> Dad had remarried only a few months after mom died, and her stepmother gave birth to another daughter, Evelyn.<br /> <br /> It was always clear that Grace's father favored his "new" family, which led to her being sent to live with her maternal grandmother in the countryside. Grace's grandmother cared for her until third grade, but had to leave her. Fortunately, her paternal grandfather stepped in and kept her by his side.<br /> <br /> As she'd been in college and at the top of her cla, her father finally warmed to her. He eventually started to show off to others that he had a smart daughter.<br /> <br /> When she and Sean started dating, her home life became the best it had ever been. Her father regarded her as an honor, and her stepmother cared about her well-being, even if only out of pretense. Even her half sister tried to get on her good side--something that had never happened before. From the moment Evelyn was born, she'd taken the role of the favorite child, and she'd scarcely bothered to even acknowledge Grace.<br /> <br /> Dating Sean had been the one act that had finally made her worthy of love in her family's eyes. She knew it was only because he was the heir of the Stevens Corporation. However, at that time, she still couldn't help but long for familial affection. She'd just wanted to be accepted by them.<br /> <br /> To be loved.<br /> <br /> After the car accident, she realized that everything was just her wishful thinking.<br /> <br /> Coming home, she stepped into her father's house.<br /> <br /> The decor was mostly the same. Pictures of the three of them. Not a single photo of her in sight.<br /> <br /> Same couches and tables.<br /> <br /> The living room had been painted a bright red, and the kitchen was redone with all-white cabinets with stainless steel appliances.<br /> <br /> Grace joined her "family" in the kitchen.<br /> <br /> Her stepmother, Melinda Riley, smiled at her. That was something, she supposed.<br /> <br /> But no hugs or kisses or welcome's home, around here.<br /> <br /> She listened patiently as her father and stepmother made small talk. Evelyn sipped her tea and remained silent.<br /> <br /> After a few minutes, the conversation turned toward Evelyn's career.<br /> <br /> "It's not easy for your sister to get roles these days," her stepmother said.<br /> <br /> Grace took a sip of tea. "Oh?"<br /> <br /> Truthfully, she'd had more important things to think about these last three years--like surviving and serving out her time, and staying sane while she'd been wrongfully prosecuted, imprisoned, and beaten.<br /> <br /> "It hasn't been easy to re-enter the entertainment industry in the wake of ... things," her stepmother continued. "And it's vital that your sister only accept good roles."<br /> <br /> "Hmm," Grace replied absently.<br /> <br /> "You know that our family isn't very rich, but your sister just happens to need money right now. How about... you lend some money to us first, and when your sister becomes a big star in the future, we will return it to you after she makes a lot of money?"<br /> <br /> The real reason for being summoned home presented itself... "I don't have any money," Grace answered succinctly.<br /> <br /> Her stepmother's expression turned stiff, but then she smiled slightly and said, "You don't have money, but Sean does. You dated him before, but as soon as you had an accident, he broke up with you. Shouldn't he make it up to you somehow?"<br /> <br /> Were they really expecting her to beg the man who'd deserted her for scraps of money? She couldn't believe their audacity. Grace pushed back from the table. "I'm sorry, didn't you, Father, and my sister pretend like you didn't know me back then and avoid me the entire time I needed my family?"<br /> <br /> Her father said angrily from the side, "So what? Are you here to get even with me? If you hadn't killed someone back then, your sister would have already been cast as a main actress a long time ago and would've already become a big star by now!"<br /> <br /> Grace smiled sarcastically. Back then, when Evelyn had been chosen as the leading actress in a television drama, it was because the Stevens Corporation had been one of the investors in the TV series, and Sean had specifically asked for Evelyn to be the leading actress.<br /> <br /> Later, after Sean broke up with her, Evelyn's role naturally went up in smoke.<br /> <br /> "Sis, are you still resentful that we didn't do anything for you when you were in jail?" Evelyn asked quietly.<br /> <br /> Her features were perfect, her skin smooth. Her long manicured fingers tapped on the table.<br /> <br /> "Because I think that's very selfish of you. Your actions damaged our family's reputation. The Stevens family. The Reed family. The Atkinsons, Epsteins, Changs. Even the Westons. Every prominent family in this city wanted your blood for what you'd done. What could our family even do? If back then, we had really stood by your side and helped you file a lawsuit, our whole family would've also offended them."<br /> <br /> Because powerful, wealthy families were above the law and enabled to abuse whoever they wanted on a whim? To hell with justice and the entire judiciary system.<br /> <br /> Grace shook her head. She wouldn't waste her words or even attempt to make these people see how their actions had pained her.<br /> <br /> In their eyes, she was the villain, not the victim.<br /> <br /> "How could an ordinary family like ours withstand their retaliation?" Evelyn asked.<br /> <br /> "You're right," Grace said coldly.<br /> <br /> She was nothing to them. A means to an end. They cared nothing for her pain, her suffering. Her heartbreak. It wasn't just her trial and sentencing to prison. This disconnect had been the re from the moment her mother left this earth. She was through with trying to please them. She'd never strive for their love again because they didn't have it to give. Not to her, anyway.<br /> <br /> Her eyes burned, and she had only to squeeze her fingers for the pain of her a*ault to give her strength.<br /> <br /> Grace rose from the table and smiled gently. She looked straight at her sister. "Since you couldn't stand by me when I was at my lowest, why should I bother helping to make you rich?"<br /> <br /> ...<br /> <br /> ====<br /> Grace has been sentenced to three years in prison for a crime she didn't commit-- the car accident that killed Jennifer Atkinson. <br /> <br /> Now everyone's turned their backs on her, because Jennifer Atkinson isn't just anyone, she's the fiancee of Jason Reed, the most powerful man in the city. <br /> <br /> Left hurt and betrayed by everyone, her boyfriend Sean Stevens and even her family, Grace comes out of prison and becomes a sanitation worker. <br /> <br /> One fateful night, she catches the attention of Jason Reed without knowing his real identity. <br /> <br /> What happens next? What will happen when truth comes to light?<br /> <br /> Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters <br /> (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app)<br /> &5&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/48040322-fb_contact-e	159129143942156	Hello reading	https://facebook.com/61552535188096	41,504	1	833,864,738,107,420	2024-06-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	0	Learn more	Hello reading	120213299840540091	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	image		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/48040322-fb_contact-eny2708_2-0607-core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=124213&accid=798859118295947		2024-06-07 00:11	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447641888_440765798819538_7426075730355022807_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Jm6AF1Y0vWQQ7kNvgE1sHoh&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYDOW0fOxNOCgcyD6GYCbIhkpntTG_CB5oQDGfhNTv5HiA&oe=6669F2C5	person_profile	0	moboreader	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447261271_814033997321187_4570849094233201520_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=TLxPBX0hvKwQ7kNvgGdbpl3&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYB_YOhb0TIm2-h-6SM4YE0BksKTHzDxp4yeShaPTO0DqA&oe=6669F6CE	3	Hello reading	2024-06-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,870,918	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1870939}'	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	428380233442952	🔞🔞Click to read the full novel👉👉👉	Chapter 01<br /> LAYLA<br /> <br /> The loud ringing of the phone wakes me up from a deep slumber. My hand pats the soft space. My eyes are too heavy and a thousand veins are thumping in my head. <br /> <br /> My hand finally finds my cell, and I swipe right. Placing the cold cell against my ear, I wait for a second. <br /> <br /> “ Layla Jones, where the fuck are you? ” The shrill voice of my best friend pierces my eardrum.<br /> <br /> My eyes shoot wide open. Pain seeps into my skull. I sit up in the bed. Cold air brushes my body that is strangely…<br /> <br /> My eyes drop to my naked boobs, and the purple marks all over my skin. I blink. I can not believe the fuck out of this.<br /> <br /> “ Hello? ” Daphne shouts. “ Hello? Why are you not saying anything? Did you create some mess I need to sort out? ” <br /> <br /> “ It’s not a mess. ” I cringe and look to my left.<br /> <br /> The other side of the bed is empty. My eyes search the sheets. To prove me right, the blood stains peek back at me.<br /> <br /> “ I lost my virginity. ” I whisper.<br /> <br /> Some silence, and then evil laughter booms through the speaker. “ Good job. ” <br /> <br /> “ Not the time to play the villain. ” I whisper yell. “ please come pick me up from this stupid place where you left me. ” <br /> <br /> “ I am already on my way there. I thought you were dead so I had to come to check up on you. ” She whistles.<br /> <br /> I hang up on her. My fingers touch the dried blood. Horror etches into my features. <br /> <br /> What did I do? <br /> <br /> When did I do it?<br /> <br /> My memory was hazy. The sound of the shower running in the bathroom was clear though.<br /> <br /> I got to my feet, wincing and cringing. My legs hurt like I have done a lot of exercise.<br /> <br /> A blurred memory plays in my head as I limp to the side table. <br /> <br /> * “ Look how good you take me, Mio Tesoro. ”<br /> <br /> The deep, authoritative voice whispered in my head. I had to spread my legs wider to have all of him between them. <br /> <br /> “ Hard…Harder. ” It was my voice. <br /> <br /> The hard pounding, the strong pleasure, my nails in his back, and his hands on my hips. The sweat, the moans, his wild grunts. <br /> <br /> Embarrassment flushes me red. I tear the sheets from my body to search for my clothes. I find my torn dress in the distance and look at it with wide eyes.<br /> <br /> The shower continues to run in the distance. It gives me the little sense of calm that I need right now or else, I am going to pass out from equal parts fear and embarrassment.<br /> <br /> Dropping the dress, I look for my panties and bra. Both pieces of black clothing are sprawled on the floor close to the bed. I slip them on when I see the black button-down shirt and my purse lying close to them.<br /> <br /> I pick both of them, slip on the black shirt, and button it up. Then, I grab a few bills from my purse and drop them on the table to pay for the shirt.<br /> <br /> It’s my beloved saved money that I foolishly wanted to spend yesterday to get over the heartbreak but after stepping foot in the expensive club, I didn’t use it. How I got drunk and ended up here is not even in my memory.<br /> <br /> So, I am going to leave this money for whomever I slept with and run out of here. I can’t possibly face this man after what we did.<br /> <br /> Acting on my plan, I make my way out of the room. It seems like the top floor of the same club given that it is decorated in the same colors. The red, blue, and purple. A neon touch to everything.<br /> <br /> I dash down the staircase and run straight for the door. I am hopeful that when I open the door, Daphne will be waiting in the parking lot because I won’t feel too good waiting in the open, with nothing but a shirt on and my feet bare.<br /> <br /> My heart beats fast from the hurried actions. My hands sweat and I frantically rub them over the shirt.<br /> <br /> As I hoped, I see Daphne’s black SUV parked in the distance. She grins when she sees me running to her.<br /> <br /> Just as I open the door, I slip inside the passenger seat and turn to her. “ Let’s leave already. ”<br /> <br /> “ We need to talk about your night first. ” Daphne claps her hands excitedly.<br /> <br /> “ No, D. We are not talking about it here. ” I whisper, looking at the club in the distance in the side mirror.<br /> <br /> I hope he takes the money and doesn’t come out for me for the shirt. It is soft and feels expensive over my skin so I believe it’s not worth what I gave him.<br /> <br /> “ No, Lulu. You need to tell me— ”<br /> <br /> I slap my hand over her mouth and glare at her. “ Drive out of here and I will tell you everything. ”<br /> <br /> Her green eyes round with excitement. She nods her head. Her black hair bounce with the move.<br /> <br /> I remove my hand cautiously. She listens this time and starts the engine. In no time, we are saying goodbye to my nightmare and fear.<br /> <br /> “ Now, tell me everything from the moment you two kissed and then climaxed. ” Daphne giggles wickedly.<br /> <br /> “ Too bad for you. ” I shake my head and rub my temples. “ I don’t even remember what he looks like or when we kissed or how I got drunk. I only remember that I sat in the corner and watched everyone with big I-am-poor eyes. What happened after that is not in my memory. ” <br /> <br /> “ You popped the cherry and you don’t remember what it felt like? ” She gasps.<br /> <br /> “ I don’t even remember popping the cherry. ” I close my eyes. This is embarrassing. “ but I saw the blood on the sheets. ”<br /> <br /> “ That’s how you took revenge on Josh? You slept with a guy and you don’t even remember if he was hot or not? Now you are going to bluff about him when you don’t know what to bluff about? ” Daphne clicks her tongue.<br /> <br /> “ I don’t know, D. ” I lick my lips, tasting an intoxicating masculine mint flavor on them. “ I recall changing my mind when I stepped into the club. I planned on watching people for a while and then calling you. I don’t know how I ended up in the bed with - - - him. ”<br /> <br /> Him. Him is definitely not ugly. I didn’t see his face in the flash of memory but the way his body stretched me to the limits and made me ache all over is not the work of someone weak.<br /> <br /> “ Alpha will be angry. ” Daphne whispers when we enter the pack.<br /> <br /> I swallow. “ When is he not angry with me? ” <br /> <br /> “ I am sorry. ” She keeps her gaze settled ahead.<br /> <br /> I go silent. This is the consequence I have to face because I decided to cross my limits and pretended to be someone I am not.<br /> <br /> This is the consequence of forgetting that I am supposed to be the daughter of the murdered gamma couple, with no wolf. I can say mateless too, but I was proved wrong on that account yesterday.<br /> <br /> Yesterday was the day of the hunt. It’s the day when werewolves can recognize their mates. I had no hopes about this day, but Alpha’s son, Josh came to me with a dazed look when I was working in the kitchen and whispered the word mate to me.<br /> <br /> A force swept me off my feet at that moment. I dropped the knife and rushed into his arms. I could sense the connection too, but I couldn’t tell what it was. <br /> <br /> I was happy. I forgot that Josh was the worst nightmare for me for the past two years. He beat me. He starved me. He tried to rape me once.<br /> <br /> I forgot all that.<br /> <br /> But, he was the same.<br /> <br /> He rejected me and then beat me. Before he could kill me in his anger, Sarah came into the kitchen. <br /> <br /> She was his girlfriend and the Beta’s daughter. She was also my best friend before the incident that ruined my life. But now, she just pretended to be good in front of everyone and stopped Josh whenever he wanted to hit me.<br /> <br /> While in the absence of others, she made me go through worse things. Like ducking my head underwater and letting me feel the water burning my lungs until I was half dead. That was one of her favorite ways of torture.<br /> <br /> After telling me how I was a worthless whore, they both went away but I was burning in pain and anger. <br /> <br /> I was done with the pack members that used me, abused me, and kept me as a slave all these years. I wanted to do something to rebel against them like Daphne had suggested all this time.<br /> <br /> So, I did that.<br /> <br /> But, I am scared about the consequences that await me now.<br /> <br /> Daphne stops the car outside the double-story pack house. I observe the building with scared eyes.<br /> <br /> “ I wish I could - - - ”<br /> <br /> I open the door and slip out. I don’t want to hear her apologize. She can not do anything for me. <br /> <br /> She is bound by a blood oath to the Alpha and if she goes against him, she will be killed or worse, exiled. <br /> <br /> Exile is the biggest fear of werewolves because breaking a bond with the pack will turn you into a packless rogue and if no other pack takes you in right away, it can result in slow madness and pain that never ends.<br /> <br /> “ Thanks, D. ” I smile weakly.<br /> <br /> She tries to smile back but fails. I peel my eyes off her face and walk inside the pack house.<br /> <br /> As expected, I stumble upon Josh in the sitting area. My hands tremble in fear when our eyes meet.<br /> <br /> His eyes flash golden. It’s a sign of instant rage. A sign that his wolf is fighting to rise to the surface and shift. <br /> <br /> “ Where the fuck were you? ” He hisses and stalks to me.<br /> <br /> My hands tremble by my side, because I know, without a wolf I can not fight back. I can not even protect myself. <br /> <br /> “ Answer me! ” He grips my jaw and squashes it hard.<br /> <br /> Pain blurs my vision. I claw at his hands. He applies harsh pressure.<br /> <br /> “ Leave me. ” I shriek.<br /> <br /> “ You smell like another fucker. ” He growls in my face. <br /> <br /> His usual brown eyes still burn golden, hinting that his wolf is angry like him.<br /> <br /> “ Leave me, Josh. ” I thrash and try to push him away.<br /> <br /> “ Leave you? ” He seethes and throws me back.<br /> <br /> My spine hits the wall before I slide down and my left side crashes into the floor. The loud sound of bones cracking makes me sick to my stomach. Screams erupt from my mouth, one after another.<br /> <br /> After that, Josh doesn’t stop. I lose count of the times his fists slam into my face or his legs kick me all over.<br /> <br /> He doesn’t release me until I am crawling on my hands and begging him to spare me. My nails break from the roots. My body is broken.<br /> <br /> He kicks me a last time in the rib, causing another shattering noise, and moves back.<br /> <br /> “ Attempt to fuck with me again, and you are done slut. ” He spits on my bloodied body after his cruel words.<br /> <br /> After he is done, Josh leaves me there. Suffering. Barely alive. Hurting. <br /> <br /> It’s nothing new. I know I will lose consciousness and when I regain it, I will be lying in the same spot. I will tend to my wounds on my own, I will cry alone, and I will suffer without anyone by my side.<br /> <br /> Chapter 02<br /> “ Whose bastard is it? ” Alpha Benjamin growls in my face.<br /> <br /> I squeeze my eyes shut. “ I - - - I don’t know. ”<br /> <br /> “ I am asking for the last time Layla! ” His fist slams into my face, knocking me to the ground. <br /> <br /> “ I don’t know, Alpha. ” I cry out and instantly pull my knees to my chest to protect my stomach from the hits.<br /> <br /> One mistake. One night. And fate decided it didn’t want to let this slide.<br /> <br /> I found out I was pregnant after a mere month which is rare for werewolves. The child growing inside me is not normal. When I secretly visited pack doctor Emma, she told me it’s a powerful breed and it’s growing at a fast rate. I will be ready to give birth in six months instead of eight.<br /> <br /> After hearing all this, I instantly thought about getting rid of it, as I was in no position to raise a child but I couldn’t do it.<br /> <br /> How am I supposed to get rid of this part of me?<br /> <br /> This baby is my flesh and blood. The thought of killing it, killing an innocent child equals suicide to me. <br /> <br /> The baby is mine. I won’t let it go.<br /> <br /> So, I decided that I will run away tonight to save my baby and myself, but Doctor Emma told the truth to Alpha Benjamin and now, we are inside his pack office where he is beating the shit out of me.<br /> <br /> He kicks my arms. Animalistic growls leave his lips. He continues to hit me, and I take it while protecting my stomach from the blows.<br /> <br /> Today, I am not screaming. I will not scream ever again. I am going to bear it until I have the chance. Once I take this chance, I will never look back. I will make my life. I will raise this baby with love and care.<br /> <br /> The door to his office flies open. I peek from around my elbow to see who it is.<br /> <br /> “ Dad! ” Josh yells.<br /> <br /> Alpha Benjamin stops hitting me and turns to his son. His breath comes out in short pants after all the work he has done on me.<br /> <br /> I, on the other hand, can not move in fear that my body is going to fall apart. I dig my teeth into my lower lip to stop the small sobs of pain from falling out of my mouth.<br /> <br /> I won’t be weak anymore. I will be strong for the baby. I will be brave, and smart all for the life growing inside me.<br /> <br /> “ You were going to kill her. ” Josh sighs.<br /> <br /> “ This bitch won’t die so easily. She is a curse! ” Alpha Benjamin hisses at him.<br /> <br /> “ She might be a curse but she is not invincible, Dad. ” He rolls his eyes and walks to me.<br /> <br /> Crouching down, Josh touches my elbow. A whimper escapes my lips despite my hardest efforts. He shakes his head and grabs my arms before lifting me into a sitting position. <br /> <br /> Everywhere hurts. My arms hurt. My head hurts. My guts hurt.<br /> <br /> Tears moisten my eyes when the pain becomes unbearable.<br /> <br /> “ Come on. Get up. ” Josh pulls me to my feet.<br /> <br /> I follow his lead without any protest. He takes me out of his father’s office.<br /> <br /> “ Get that damn bastard flushed out of her, Josh. ” Alpha Benjamin sneers before the door to his office closes behind me.<br /> <br /> My eyes become round in fear. I glance at Josh and find him already smirking at me.<br /> <br /> He is going to get the baby aborted. I know.<br /> <br /> “ I- - - ” I croak out. “ I will die, Josh. I can not have an abortion in this state. ” <br /> <br /> Josh looks at me with a wicked look in his eyes. I gulp. Pain follows my saliva down my throat and blood rises to my mouth.<br /> <br /> “ You have to get an abortion, baby. Or I am going to rip this thing out of you myself. ” He whispers huskily. <br /> <br /> Dread stings my body in the form of needles. I open my mouth to tell him to try and see what happens, but it’s an idiotic move to fight him when he has all the power against me.<br /> <br /> “ Can we do it tomorrow? ” A tear finally slides down my eye. <br /> <br /> “ No. This thing is getting out of you right now. ” He shakes his head.<br /> <br /> “ Please, Josh. I swear to Goddess Selene I will get this thing out of me first thing in the morning but please let’s not do this today. I am - - - I am already hurting. I am scared. ” I reason.<br /> <br /> Calling my baby a thing is beyond terrible but I have to do it so Josh doesn’t suspect my intentions.<br /> <br /> Josh goes silent and takes me to the small store room I call my room in the pack house. The worn-down mattress waits for me on the floor, taunting me for everything I have endured and will endure once I am out of this shithole.<br /> <br /> He dumps me over the mattress harshly and steps back. I groan, holding my left arm that hurts the most.<br /> <br /> “ What will I get if I do you this favor? ” Josh asks sultrily. <br /> <br /> His eyes drill holes in my battered body. The old grey tank top and the bloodied blue-colored ripped jeans are not doing anything to hide me from his evil eyes.<br /> <br /> I know he wants to sleep with me. He is tired of sex with my ex-best friend aka Sarah. He wants what the battered bond between us offers now. A pleasure that matches no other. A touch that burns to ashes and brings back to life. <br /> <br /> He has been trying to have sex with me for the past few days but I was so sick that he couldn’t get near me without me throwing up all over him. The baby protected me from him.<br /> <br /> “ I will do anything you want, Josh. ” I whisper, holding his dirty gaze.<br /> <br /> He crouches down. I grip the edges of the smelly mattress under me to hold still. His face nears mine, and the putrid stench of beer burns my nostrils.<br /> <br /> “ Will you let me fuck you against the wall? ” He smirks, knowing how this talk always makes me flip. <br /> <br /> My lips tremble as he closes the little distance and kisses the edge of them. “ tell me, Laylababy. ” <br /> <br /> “ Y - - - Yes. ” I nod, cautiously bending back to be away from him.<br /> <br /> “ Oh, fuck. It’s so easy. ” He chuckles, drawing his head back. “ I might as well fuck you now. ”<br /> <br /> Life drains from my body. His hands close around my waist, push me into the mattress and he crawls above me.<br /> <br /> “ Josh! ” I yelp and push at his chest.<br /> <br /> “ I want to fuck your filthy mouth. ” He utters before sealing my lips with his mouth.<br /> <br /> I push harder. The terror of getting raped while there is an innocent life inside me is soul-shattering. <br /> <br /> I clamp my teeth around his lower lip and bite so hard that blood pours inside my mouth. He pulls away and smacks me across the face. My vision blackens at the strong impact.<br /> <br /> “ Motherfucking Whore! ” He clenches my jaw and makes me face him. “ I am going to take your mouth, your pussy, and at the end, I am going to cum in your ass as a payback for this stunt you pulled ”<br /> <br /> “ No! ” I scream. “ No, Josh. Get the fuck away from me. I am pregnant, for fuck’s sake! ” <br /> <br /> “ That’s why I am not fucking you. The filth inside you is repulsive as shit. ” He groans and gets away from me.<br /> <br /> I release a shaky breath. My pulse is quick enough to make me dizzy. I sit up and immediately slip to the other edge of the mattress.<br /> <br /> “ You are getting rid of this first thing tomorrow. ” He warns, stepping back. “ This doesn’t mean you can slack off today. Come out of the fucking room and set the table for the guests. ” <br /> <br /> “ O- - -Okay. ” I nod.<br /> <br /> He glares at me before walking out of the open door. I watch his retreating back and tears slide out of my eyes at last. <br /> <br /> My hands press against my stomach as I sob to myself. “ I am - - - I am sorry, baby. Mama couldn’t protect herself and you today. But I promise- - - ”<br /> <br /> I place my right hand over my mouth to cover the sobs. “ I promise I will do a better job from now on. I will never let you get hurt. We will be out of this hellhole by tomorrow and we will start a new life. I promise you will be a lot happier than me. I will make sure of it. ”<br /> <br /> Chapter 03<br /> LAYLA<br /> <br /> It takes me three hours to prepare everything for the dinner with the maids and set the table for the guests. <br /> <br /> Alpha or Josh refuses to tell me who is coming but the extravagant preparations are enough to reveal it’s an important person.<br /> <br /> I go back to my small room when I am done and inspect the contents inside my backpack. Some cash Daphne lent me and the remainder of my savings is sitting inside untouched with three shirts and two pairs of jeans. There is nothing else I have or can take without anyone noticing it.<br /> <br /> I have no idea how life is going to be when I leave this pack but Daphne is helping me. She talked to her aunt who lives on the outskirts of the Lotus pack. <br /> <br /> It’s a decent old pack that resides about a hundred kilometers west of my pack. Unlike Alpha Benjamin who is power and money crazy, the Lotus Pack Alpha---Alpha Marcus is all about harmony and peace. <br /> <br /> Daphne’s aunt Maya has even asked him for permission to let me join the pack and he agreed. That was quick and shocking because Alphas hardly accept outsiders but he did. He is ready to accept an outsider like me and I can stay there as long as I want. <br /> <br /> My phone vibrates with a notification. I open the text from Daphne. <br /> <br /> Aunt told Alpha Marcus everything about your situation. He still wants you to join the pack. Everything is set. Make it out now, C. I am rooting for you. XOXO. *<br /> <br /> Sighing, I send her a quick okay, and thanks before deleting the texts. I don’t want Josh or Alpha Benjamin to find out about it. <br /> <br /> Too lost in my thoughts, I don’t notice when the maid barges inside the room and stands over my head.<br /> <br /> “ Luna wants to see you.” She sneers at me.<br /> <br /> “ Luna? ” My eyes widen.<br /> <br /> Luna Avery is Alpha Benjamin’s mate and wife who likes to take random tours around the world. She is gone every other day and then comes back whenever she wants. No one objects to it or tells her that she should be taking care of her pack instead of running away. <br /> <br /> “ Why do you need to be told everything twice? ” The maid hisses before storming out of the room.<br /> <br /> I am left wondering why she is back now. My heartbeat quickens as different scenarios cross my mind.<br /> <br /> If Alpha Benjamin and Josh are the devil reincarnate, she is the real devil. If she is here then there must be hellfire waiting for me. <br /> <br /> I get to my weak feet and wince slightly. My body still hurts like hell. There is nothing I can do. My healing powers are too weak and it usually takes me lots of time to heal without a wolf.<br /> <br /> Enduring the intense waves of pain, I limp out and approach the dining room. As I near it, my breathing becomes ragged. Different voices sound from inside. <br /> <br /> “ I am telling you Alpha Alexander, we only have two other people in the house. You met the maid. The other girl is also a helper. ” Luna’s sweet voice makes me swallow.<br /> <br /> “ Call her here. ”<br /> <br /> The new voice is like a caress of needed warmth on a cold night. Tingles shoot down my spine, carrying the weight of it throughout my blood. Strange heat pools in my stomach after hearing it. <br /> <br /> It sounds familiar like I have heard it before. <br /> <br /> I shake my head and enter the dining room. My gaze lowers to the floor instinctively. <br /> <br /> “ You called, Luna? ” I lick my lips and ask.<br /> <br /> “ It’s been so long since the last time I saw you. ” Luna surprisingly speaks to me in a tone that is reserved for important people. I am not one of them. I never was. <br /> <br /> “ Greet Alpha Alexander, Layla. ” Alpha Benjamin scoffs.<br /> <br /> I glance up momentarily, but my eyes refuse to look down again.<br /> <br /> My hazel eyes meet with a pair of silver orbs. Sun on Moon. The Bright against All Dark Night. <br /> <br /> Odd energy shoots down my body, reaching my core and tightening every single muscle in me. It’s like getting struck by lightning on a rainy night. The sensation of the current jolting every single part of me awake.<br /> <br /> My breath catches in my throat. I drop my gaze to his proud nose and then to his thick pair of lips. He licks them with the laziness of a predator who finally has the chance to eat its prey and he wants to savor every bite. <br /> <br /> “ Layla? ” He utters my name from his lips.<br /> <br /> I shudder. It sounds too hot. It’s too hot in the room.<br /> <br /> “ Yeah, she is the rascal who got my gamma couple killed. Still, we took pity and gave her shelter inside our home. ” Alpha Benjamin sneers.<br /> <br /> Heat taints my cheeks red, allowing everyone in the room to see my embarrassment marking my skin. I swallow the lump in my throat and look down again.<br /> <br /> My heart is in a race of its own. I don’t even know what or who it is trying to outrun. I clasp my shaky hands together to hold them still.<br /> <br /> “ Why is she bruised? ” The startling voice of the stranger booms. <br /> <br /> I stumble a step back, finding all of this too much. I am weak in my knees. The heat in my body is becoming too much to handle. I have never experienced this before. <br /> <br /> “ She slipped in her bathroom. She is quite clumsy. She got the head of a chicken. ” Josh chuckles.<br /> <br /> It’s utterly humiliating. If I could dig a hole and hide there for the rest of my life, I would have done that by now. <br /> <br /> “ Bathroom? ” His voice drops lower, becoming more throaty. It reverberates in my lower abdomen, almost making me gasp to myself. <br /> <br /> “ Yeah, Alpha! She is like that sometimes. ” Luna adds.<br /> <br /> Silence echoes in the room. I stand there, feeling the scorching heat of his stare on my face. It makes me shift from my left foot to the right uncomfortably.<br /> <br /> “ I need her. ” Alpha Alexander commands. Arrogant, Confident, Non-negotiable. <br /> <br /> My gaze shoots to his face in shock. I stare at the handsome man who can give competition to a Greek God. He is built like a mountain. His muscles are bulging in the tight white dress shirt he is wearing under his black jacket. <br /> <br /> I notice the black ink peeking out of his collar and instantly tear my gaze from his neck to look at his face once more. <br /> <br /> I am the object of his attention even now. His stare never falters. I step back, unable to take it anymore.<br /> <br /> “ Uh, Alpha Alexander. What does that mean exactly? ” Luna speaks up, asking the one question that threatens to split the ground under my feet and swallow me as a whole.<br /> <br /> “ You heard me. I need her. ” Every word of his hits a nerve deep inside me and steals my breath.<br /> <br /> “ She is not up for sale if you think this is an auction. ” Josh hisses, surprising me.<br /> <br /> He is talking about buying me? What the heck!<br /> <br /> “ Shut your mouth. ” Alpha Benjamin growls at Josh.<br /> <br /> “ Dad--- ”<br /> <br /> “ Josh. ” Luna warns him.<br /> <br /> He goes silent. I look at his frustrated glaring eyes and decide it’s better to just stare at the floor.<br /> <br /> “ What are you suggesting, Alpha? ” Luna’s voice comes out breathy and sultry when she questions. <br /> <br /> “ Name the price. What do you want for her? ” The man speaks with indifference and coldness that is rare and makes the whole situation disgusting.<br /> <br /> My heart lurches. I take another step back. It’s impossible to stand on my feet right now. They are talking about selling and buying me like I am a useless piece of furniture. <br /> <br /> “ Why do you want her, Alpha? ” Luna stresses.<br /> <br /> “ I need her. And it’s none of your business. ” The Alpha shuts her up with his harsh voice, a warning lingering on the edge of each word, daring her to try poking her nose in his matter again. <br /> <br /> “ What if we say ten million, Alpha Alexander? Will you be willing to pay? ” Alpha Benjamin chuckles nervously. <br /> <br /> “ You can’t just sell me. I am not up for sale. ” I mutter at last. <br /> <br /> My gaze collides with his scorching eyes again. My soul trembles with the intensity. The tension rises in the air and temperature shoots to a new height.<br /> <br /> “ We will always decide the best for your future, Layla Darling. Don’t doubt it and stay silent. ” Luna speaks pleasantly but there is a hidden warning underneath her words that only I can sense.<br /> <br /> Try speaking again and you shall lose your tongue, that’s what Luna wants me to know. <br /> <br /> My heartbeat pounds in all my organs. I grip my fingers tighter to remain calm.<br /> <br /> I lower my eyes before taking a peek at the silent man and find him typing something on his phone. His brows bunch, as he concentrates and gives off a scary vibe.<br /> <br /> Why is he doing this? Who is he? What does he want from me? <br /> <br /> “ The money is in your pack’s account. Hand her over. ” He pushes the phone back into his jacket’s pocket and stands up.<br /> <br /> Suddenly, the room is too small and everything is too unnecessary. I stumble back when he strides forward, each step taken with deliberate preciseness that leaves my heartbeat drumming in my ears. The world tilts, showing me a new angle that my mind refuses to get accustomed to. <br /> <br /> “ You can take her in the morning. We want to say goodbye to her, Alpha. ” Alpha Benjamin gets up immediately and blocks the path of the man.<br /> <br /> “ No. ” Alpha Alexander refuses without hesitation.<br /> <br /> This can’t be happening. A few more steps and this man will be practically dragging me out of this packhouse. All hopes of escape will be lost in an unfamiliar place. <br /> <br /> On the other hand, I know Alpha Benjamin wants me to stay for the night because he wants to kill my baby before handing me over to this stranger who screams danger in bright red. <br /> <br /> I am stuck. There is an inferno in front of me and the promise of destruction behind me. <br /> <br /> The man pushes Alpha Benjamin out of the way with ease and reaches me. My heartbeat slows down until I can’t even hear it. <br /> <br /> He halts in front of me, leaving a distance of a few inches between us. The moon in his eyes burns into the sun in mine, threatening to consume all the heat and still remain hungry. The intense energy cackles, leaving me breathing hard. <br /> <br /> I only come up to his neck. I have to throw my head back to look at his face from close. He is intimidating in the sense that his closeness leaves me tingling and hot everywhere.<br /> <br /> I take the final step back. My body hits the wall behind me, closing all ways of escape.<br /> <br /> “ I want to stay the night. ” I plead, staring into the silver orbs. “ Please. ”<br /> <br /> A moment of silence passes. He steals a glance at my quivering lips before dragging his gaze to my moist eyes.<br /> <br /> “ Just tonight. ” He steps back easily like he was just waiting for me to speak up.<br /> <br /> I release the breath I held and immediately run out of the dining room. I don’t even care about the crippling pain anymore. <br /> <br /> I can’t go with that man. He will probably do worse things to me.<br /> <br /> I will run tonight and then I will never look back. All these horrible people will be left behind. It will only be me and my baby that this new man doesn’t know about.<br /> <br /> I reach my room and check my bag before hiding it behind the small cupboard in the corner. The door to my room slams open, revealing Luna.<br /> <br /> “ Lu- - - Luna. ” I stutter.<br /> <br /> “ How do you know him? ” She asks, closing the door.<br /> <br /> “ I don’t know him. I swear I have never seen him before. ” I blurt.<br /> <br /> “ Why is he so keen on getting you then? ” She folds her arms over her chest, stopping in the middle of the room.<br /> <br /> “ I - - - I don’t know. ” I can’t recall ever meeting him.<br /> <br /> “ Tell me the truth, Layla. You know I won’t hurt you if you just tell the truth. ” She clicks her tongue.<br /> <br /> “ I swear on Goddess Selene I don’t know. ” I shake my head.<br /> <br /> “ Annoying. ” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “ Anyways, get ready. The doctor will arrive in an hour. Get rid of that filth and go with him in the morning. ” <br /> <br /> My body turns cold at the command. I blink the tears back and stand my ground.<br /> <br /> “ It’s so good to finally be able to get rid of you and to get money for it- - -is like a dream come true. ” She sighs dreamily and walks out of the room.<br /> <br /> It’s all so dirty. They are selling me. That man is buying me. They all think of me as their meaningless possession. <br /> <br /> The door closes. I stand in the same place for some time, waiting for someone else to come. <br /> <br /> I think Josh will come, but I am proved wrong when he doesn’t come even after half an hour. This hints at the fact that Alpha Benjamin must be holding him back. <br /> <br /> It is the best time.<br /> <br /> I dash towards the backpack and sling it on my shoulders. After wearing my worn-out sneakers, I open the only window in my room and sneak out of it. I can never be more grateful for having this room on the ground floor. It makes things easier for me.<br /> <br /> My heart skips many beats when I pass by pack members and then the patrol guards. The thought of someone stopping me or the Alpha finding out about me leaves me breathless but I continue to move.<br /> <br /> After enduring the abuse for so many years, it’s finally time to be free. A sense of relief fills me when I am out of the territory and on my way to the bus stop.<br /> <br /> I run and I never look over my shoulder.<br /> <br /> There is nothing holding me back here. No attachment. No family. No home. <br /> <br /> When I get on the bus for Laxville Town, that’s when I look behind me. A strange feeling of loss fills me as a pair of silver eyes flashes in my head. <br /> <br /> But, I don’t stop.<br /> <br /> I have to do this for the baby. I will protect it with all I have got and I will fight against the rest of the world if I have to.<br /> <br /> Chapter 04<br /> ALEXANDER<br /> <br /> “ They secured the girl, Alpha. ” My Beta and only friend Levi informs me from the driving seat.<br /> <br /> “ Send her to the house. Ask Nina to take care of her. ” I reply <br /> <br /> My eyes train on Alpha Williams’ house in the distance. I can’t wait to barge inside that shitty place and get that sweet thing out of there.<br /> <br /> She looked so fucking scared last night. <br /> <br /> If she didn’t ask me in her seductive voice to leave her there for one night, I would have burned that place down to bring her with me. <br /> <br /> I just can’t wait to taste her again. I have to practice all restraint to stop imagining her body under me. She had felt perfect. Heavenly.<br /> <br /> I had to search for her for a month like a madman. I didn’t expect to find her so easily in this Alpha’s house though.<br /> <br /> Her sweet scent still lingers in my nostrils and over my tongue. But why didn’t she show me the same reaction?<br /> <br /> She was my mate. <br /> <br /> Like me, she must have wanted to throw herself under me, over me, or everywhere she could. That’s wolf nature and you can’t fight it.<br /> <br /> But last night, she acted like she didn’t want me near. There was no hint of recognition on her face for me.<br /> <br /> “ What do I do about Ariana? She keeps calling. ” Levi sighs.<br /> <br /> Ariana is my ex-girlfriend. I threw her out of my house when I found my mate in the club. Now, she keeps pestering me to take her back.<br /> <br /> “ Just tell her to fuck off if she wants to live. ” I wave my hand in the air dismissively.<br /> <br /> “ You are already gone, man. But I am glad you found her after so long. ” Levi shakes his head dreamily as he pulls the car into the driveway.<br /> <br /> Without waiting for him to turn off the engine, I climb out of the car and march straight for the door.<br /> <br /> I need her with me. Right fucking now.<br /> <br /> Before I can stroll inside the open main door, one panicking face comes into my view. It’s the same cartoon from yesterday.<br /> <br /> Johnny or maybe it was John. <br /> <br /> “ Alpha Alexander. Uh, Good Morning! ” He pauses when he sees me, and tries his best to steel his spine.<br /> <br /> I press my lips in a thin line. “ Save the greetings. Bring her to me. ” <br /> <br /> He doesn’t move from his spot. <br /> <br /> I inhale, and the lack of the sweet scent drives my wolf restless.<br /> <br /> “ Bring her to me. Right now. I am not in the mood to play games. ” I repeat, with evident anger.<br /> <br /> “ That’s the thing. ” He runs his hand down his hair agitatedly.<br /> <br /> “	LEARN_MORE	https://website.literiess.com/share/middle/yre3gri	208866562311202	Endless Stories	https://facebook.com/61555726498427	246	1	702,433,495,294,836	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	0	Learn more	Endless Stories	120210651954250102	website.literiess.com	NONE	video		https://website.literiess.com/share/middle/yre3griekkem4ftfu2fknksp?campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&campaign={{campaign.name}}&adgroup={{adset.name}}		2024-06-07 05:04	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447975575_3672347806312019_261791850498917874_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=XPhJLS61GPkQ7kNvgHnzNex&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYB4I26n5ERVo95b_uRQq_wZhR_RRG7NDI2pKsIR-jqZ-g&oe=6669F6F1	person_profile	0	Endless Stories	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447903854_2053935248340723_7149515485568734194_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=wgq2QnUT5dUQ7kNvgH87S9Y&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYDVzAa6bgz8O5qmIvyT3FR7laSWRkOiMSlDsKaZooMhJA&oe=6669CB71	3	Endless Stories	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
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1,870,789	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1871049}'	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	1261314584736626	Read next chapter	She signed the divorce papers and left without taking her phone. He checked her phone and got floored at the message: Please come tomorrow for another prenatal care checkup!<br /> =============<br /> <br /> Chapter 1 Ex-girlfriend Returns<br /> <br /> Raegan Hayes was a little absent-minded at the moment. <br /> <br /> All she could think of since this afternoon was the doctor's words. "Congratulations! You are going to be a mom."<br /> <br /> Suddenly, Mitchel Dixon pinched her arm. His low voice came the next second. "Come back to earth. What are you thinking about?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel was her husband. They had been married secretly for two years. He was her superior at work, the president of the Dixon Group. <br /> <br /> Everything had happened so fast. She was newly employed in the company when they unexpectedly got married. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> They signed a prenup, agreeing to hide their marriage from the public. Their union could be terminated at any time. <br /> <br /> It was an unconventional thing to do. However, Raegan only considered herself lucky at that time. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> After their marriage, Mitchel was very busy. He spent most of his time working. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Except for his mild indifference, Mitchel was a perfect husband. <br /> <br /> Raegan had mixed feelings as she stared at the medical report. <br /> <br /> In the end, she decided to tell Mitchel this news. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Just then, Mitchel’s phone rang. He went to the balcony and answered the phone. <br /> <br /> Raegan checked the time and found that it was already midnight. <br /> <br /> She felt a little uneasy. Who would call Mitchel at this hour? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> He was something to see now. <br /> <br /> "Don't wait up for me. Good night," he said finally. <br /> <br /> What? He was on his way out? At this hour? <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> With that, he headed for the door. <br /> <br /> "Mitchel."<br /> <br /> Raegan quickly ran and caught up with him. <br /> <br /> Mitchel turned around and looked at her seriously. <br /> <br /> "What's the matter?"<br /> <br /> There was a tinge of coldness to his voice. An icy cloud hung over them as they stared at each other. <br /> <br /> A little distressed, Raegan asked in a low voice, "I would like to visit my grandma tomorrow. Can you accompany me there?"<br /> <br /> Her grandmother always wanted to see her. As a result, Raegan wanted to take Mitchel there to assure her grandma they were happy. <br /> <br /> "Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Without agreeing or declining, Mitchel left in a hurry. <br /> <br /> Several thoughts were threading Raegan's mind. She couldn't sleep a wink. <br /> <br /> After tossing and turning for a long time, she went to the kitchen and made herself a warm glass of milk. <br /> <br /> A few notifications from some online blogs came into her phone. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> The news read, "Famous designer, Lauren Murray was spotted at the airport with her mysterious boyfriend earlier today."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan zoomed in on the picture. The next second, her heart dropped. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was the man in the picture! <br /> <br /> So, he canceled the afternoon meeting just to go pick up his ex-girlfriend from the airport? <br /> <br /> This realization settled like a boulder in Raegan's gut, rendering her flustered. <br /> <br /> Her hands trembled. Subconsciously, she dialed Mitchel's number. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> "Hello!"<br /> <br /> It was a particularly gentle woman's voice. <br /> <br /> Raegan froze for a second and then threw the phone away. <br /> <br /> She suddenly felt sick in her stomach. Covering her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet bowl. <br /> <br /> The next morning, Raegan went to work on time. <br /> <br /> Mitchel had tried to get her to stop working after they got married. Stubbornly, she insisted on making her own money. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't kick against her decision, but he asked her to work as his assistant, helping him with the daily chores. <br /> <br /> The head assistant, Matteo Jenkins was left to take care of the major affairs Mitchel had. <br /> <br /> Matteo was the only Dixon Group employee who knew about their marriage. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> It took a while before they realized that Mitchel never gave Raegan special treatment. Strangely, this made them despise her even more. <br /> <br /> After all, no one would last long in anything while taking advantage of their looks.<br /> <br /> At this time, one of Raegan's colleagues handed her a document and ordered her to take it to Mitchel's office. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't return home last night. Raegan was so worried that she didn't sleep at all. <br /> <br /> All she kept thinking about was the woman who answered his phone when she called. What was her relationship with Mitchel?<br /> <br /> Raegan already knew the answer to that, but she was still in denial. <br /> <br /> It was difficult for her to come to terms with that fact. <br /> <br /> 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? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> She had arrived at the office, only to see that the door was ajar. A man's voice came. She halted instantly. <br /> <br /> "Come on, man! Do you have any feelings for Raegan or not?"<br /> <br /> The voice belonged to Luis Stevens, a childhood friend of Mitchel's. <br /> <br /> "What do you mean exactly?" Mitchel asked in a cold voice. <br /> <br /> "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?"<br /> <br /> "Do you want me to hand her over to you?" Mitchel asked carelessly. <br /> <br /> "You know what, forget it!"<br /> <br /> The scornful laughter of Luis sounded particularly harsh in Raegan's ears. <br /> <br /> They were talking about her as if she were an object. <br /> <br /> Raegan took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the document. <br /> <br /> Soon, Luis's voice was heard again. <br /> <br /> "By the way, I saw the gossip news about Lauren's mysterious boyfriend this morning. That was you, right?"<br /> <br /> "Yes."<br /> <br /> "Well, well, well! That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her."<br /> <br /> Luis sighed and continued to tease Mitchel. "As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Tell me, did you two..."<br /> <br /> Their conversation was like a thunder exploding over Raegan's head. <br /> <br /> Her face turned pale and her body was as cold as ice. <br /> <br /> The woman was indeed Lauren! <br /> <br /> Absence made the heart grow fonder! <br /> <br /> Every word drove a knife into her heart. <br /> <br /> Several whispering voices filled her head at this time. She suddenly felt light-headed. Her vision became blurry. <br /> <br /> She held the wall and took a step backward. Suddenly, the door was opened from inside. <br /> <br /> "Raegan?"<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Chapter 2 One-sided Love<br /> <br /> Luis was the one who opened the door. It appeared he was on his way out. <br /> <br /> Raegan balled her hands, turned to him, and nodded. "Hey, Mr. Stevens!"<br /> <br /> Without waiting for him to respond to her greeting, she walked past him and entered the office with the document. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was seated behind a large luxurious desk. In an expensive suit and matching tie, he looked particularly handsome. <br /> <br /> Raegan noticed it wasn't the same suit he had on when he left home last night. How did he get changed? <br /> <br /> With her eyes lowered, she swallowed that question and said instead, "Mr. Dixon, this is from the Marketing Department. Please sign it."<br /> <br /> Mitchel was expressionless as he signed the document at a glance. <br /> <br /> Raegan walked out the door as soon as he handed the document back to her. Luis was still standing at the threshold. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel's appealing eyes were expressionless at the moment. Obviously, he wasn't paying attention to what Luis was saying. <br /> <br /> To Mitchel, Raegan had always been docile and never felt jealous of anyone. <br /> <br /> Her strict obedience was all Mitchel demanded from her in exchange for treating her well. <br /> <br /> In the elevator. <br /> <br /> Raegan held her breath just to hold back her tears. Unfortunately, it didn't work. <br /> <br /> She had thought two years would be enough for Mitchel to realize how much she loved him and reciprocate her love. <br /> <br /> Now, it turned out that was just a pipe dream. <br /> <br /> She realized she would always play second fiddle to Lauren, Mitchel's true love. <br /> <br /> Reagan wiped her tears when the elevator halted. Save for her pale face, she looked normal when the doors opened. <br /> <br /> She dragged herself to the break room, intending to make herself a cup of tea. <br /> <br /> Several employees were chatting inside. <br /> <br /> "Guys, have you heard? Lauren Murray is back."<br /> <br /> "And who is that?"<br /> <br /> "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!"<br /> <br /> "Why is her return such a big deal? Isn't it rumored that there is something between Mr. Dixon and Raegan?"<br /> <br /> "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!"<br /> <br /> Standing at the door, Raegan smiled with self-mockery as she listened to them. It turned out everyone else saw the truth except her. <br /> <br /> The love was one-sided. <br /> <br /> "Ha-ha, have you finally woken up from your wild dream, Raegan?"<br /> <br /> A voice of mockery suddenly came from behind. Raegan turned around to see Tessa Lloyd, Mitchel's cousin, who had always despised her. <br /> <br /> Tessa must have also heard the employees gossiping. <br /> <br /> The last thing Raegan wanted to do now was argue with Tessa in the company. She turned to leave, but Tessa blocked her way. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> Raegan said nothing to that. <br /> <br /> Seconds later, Tessa continued the ridicule. "Maybe it’s time for you to seek out another man, you pathetic fool."<br /> <br /> Raegan clenched her fists and said coldly, "Ms. Lloyd, if you are interested in that kind of thing, feel free to pursue it yourself."<br /> <br /> "You..."<br /> <br /> Raegan's retort made Tessa's face change. <br /> <br /> The next second, Tessa raised her hand and emptied the cup of coffee on Raegan. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan frowned. "What did you do that for? Are you out of your mind?"<br /> <br /> It was lunch break and many employees were free to watch the drama. Tessa was even more complacent when she saw growing onlookers. <br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> Tessa was silenced by Raegan’s shove. <br /> <br /> Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had never expected that Raegan, who was so quiet and timid, would shove her. <br /> <br /> Tessa stuttered, "You... You pushed me? How dare you!"<br /> <br /> Raegan eyed her and replied, "Yes, I did! It seems you need to be taught simple politeness."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Tessa charged at Raegan like a raging bull, poised to retaliate. <br /> <br /> This time, Raegan was fully prepared for what was coming. She grabbed Tessa's wrist so that the latter couldn't move another inch. <br /> <br /> Tessa was shorter than Raegan. As a result, she struggled like an octopus that had one of its tentacles stuck in a fishing trap. <br /> <br /> Tessa cursed angrily, "How dare you put your hands on me? Who do you think you are?"<br /> <br /> These harsh words attracted more people to the break room. <br /> <br /> "That's enough!"<br /> <br /> Out of the blue, a baritone came from behind. Mitchel had left his office and ran into this hullabaloo. <br /> <br /> The entire room fell silent. <br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> But when she remembered that Raegan humiliated her, she put on a pitiful expression and sobbed. "Mitchel, she bullied me."<br /> <br /> The sunlight from outside fell on Mitchel's handsome face. <br /> <br /> Raegan felt so grieved all of a sudden, and lowered her head to look at her clothes which were soaked with coffee. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> His ruthlessness made Raegan's breathing cease. She couldn't believe her ears. <br /> <br /> No one dared to make a sound at this moment. <br /> <br /> Raegan just stood straight there with her slender figure. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan could understand why he took this stand. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Was she truly insignificant to him?<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel's cold eyes made Raegan shiver from head to toe. <br /> <br /> Raegan pinched her palm to suppress her emotions as she looked at Tessa. <br /> <br /> "I'm sorry, Ms. Lloyd. As an employee of the Dixon Group, it was wrong of me to have offended you."<br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> She then walked past Mitchel without sparing him another look. <br /> <br /> "You..."<br /> <br /> Tessa's face turned blue after hearing what Raegan said. <br /> <br /> Never in her years of being alive had she been so humiliated. She was always the bully, not the victim! <br /> <br /> The humiliation was so much that scolding Raegan wouldn't appease her anger. <br /> <br /> 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!"<br /> <br /> Mitchel, staring at Raegan's thin back, had an ambiguous expression at this moment. <br /> <br /> "Enough!" he said coldly, raising his hand. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Tessa gritted her teeth and said viciously, "Next time, I'll get someone to teach her a lesson."<br /> <br /> "Tessa!" Mitchel's tone and squint made it a reproof. <br /> <br /> Tessa trembled at once. <br /> <br /> With a somber face, Mitchel said, "I'll only say it once. Forget about what happened here today. Leave Raegan alone."<br /> <br /> The aura he exuded made her tongue go dry. All the vicious ideas she had in store against Raegan disappeared in an instant. <br /> <br /> She stammered, "Ok... Okay, got it..."<br /> <br /> Mitchel cast a cold glance at her and spoke to Matteo. "Irrelevant people wouldn't be allowed in here from today onwards."<br /> <br /> Without catching the drift, Tessa flattered Mitchel. "Nice call. This is a top company. Not everyone gains access in here."<br /> <br /> Matteo nodded to Mitchel and then walked over to Tessa. He gestured to the exit. "Ms. Lloyd, this way, please."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> They showed her no mercy. Her struggle was useless. <br /> <br /> Meanwhile, Raegan got changed when she returned to her office. <br /> <br /> Her heart was filled with sadness as she thought of how Mitchel looked at her minutes ago. <br /> <br /> Closing hour soon rolled by. <br /> <br /> Raegan took her bag and headed for the exit. However, Matteo stopped her. <br /> <br /> He said, "Mr. Dixon has something urgent to deal with, so he asked me to drive you home."<br /> <br /> Raegan declined the ride without thinking twice. <br /> <br /> She was blind before, but now she could see through the situation. <br /> <br /> In Mitchel's eyes, she was just a nobody. <br /> <br /> How could Mitchel agree to accompany her to visit her grandmother when he didn't even care about her? <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Her grandmother wasn't aware of her marriage to Mitchel. <br /> <br /> Raegan had planned to surprise her today. But as it turned out, that was no longer necessary. <br /> <br /> Raegan waited for her grandmother to fall asleep before she left. She walked out of the hospital and waited for a taxi. <br /> <br /> In the distance, a black luxury car pulled into the entrance of the hospital. <br /> <br /> Raegan's eyes lit up when she saw it. She recognized that car as Mitchel's. <br /> <br /> Did he come to pick her up? <br /> <br /> At this moment, she forgot all the pain she had been feeling. <br /> <br /> Were her thoughts about him all wrong? Did he care for her, contrary to the gossip? <br /> <br /> The door of the driver's side opened and Mitchel got out. <br /> <br /> Raegan started walking toward him with her heart brimming with joy. <br /> <br /> Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. <br /> <br /> Mitchel had just walked over to the other side and carried a woman out of the car. <br /> <br /> Worry and compassion were written all over his handsome face. <br /> <br /> This wiped the smile on Raegan's face. Her heart sank. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Chapter 3 Let's Divorce<br /> <br /> Mitchel's tall and straight figure got closer and closer to Raegan. And then, without saying a word, he strode past Raegan. <br /> <br /> It was hard to tell if Mitchel saw Raegan or just ignored her. <br /> <br /> Regardless, Raegan noticed that the woman in his arms was the same one who had been photographed with him yesterday. <br /> <br /> She was Lauren. <br /> <br /> Raegan's shoes felt like they were made of lead as she walked away. <br /> <br /> She lost all awareness of her surroundings. She got into a taxi absentmindedly. <br /> <br /> Suddenly, the driver uttered, "Ma'am, where to?"<br /> <br /> Raegan was stunned for a moment. <br /> <br /> She didn't want to go back to Serenity Villas. It was only a matter of time before that place stopped being her home. <br /> <br /> After a while, she replied, "Please take me to Crystal Bay."<br /> <br /> She had purchased an apartment at Crystal Bay after getting married to Mitchel. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel didn't understand why she wanted to buy an apartment. He offered to give her a bigger one, but she declined. <br /> <br /> Looking back now, she realized that buying that apartment was the only wise decision she had ever made in the last two years. <br /> <br /> When she arrived at the apartment complex, Raegan sat in the park alone, trying to cool herself down. <br /> <br /> The memories of the past two years were bittersweet. <br /> <br /> Two years had passed in the blink of an eye even though it was more than seven hundred days and nights. <br /> <br /> Love could move mountains, they said. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> It was already late in the night before Raegan finally decided to go into her apartment. <br /> <br /> As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Mitchel standing in front of the door. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Raegan froze for a moment. <br /> <br /> Why was he here? Didn't she see him at the hospital with Lauren? What brought him here? <br /> <br /> Their eyes met. With his coat draped over his arm and one of his hands in his pocket, Mitchel squinted at her. <br /> <br /> "Why didn't you answer the phone?" he asked, sounding a little grumpy like someone who hadn't slept in a long time. <br /> <br /> Raegan took out her phone and saw she had accidentally put it on DND. <br /> <br /> There were five missed calls from Mitchel. <br /> <br /> This marked the first time in their two-year marriage. <br /> <br /> Mitchel blew up her phone because he couldn't find her? Surprising! <br /> <br /> Before today, she would have been overjoyed by this. People would've thought she won the lottery. <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> Mitchel raised his hand to check the time on the watch, and said impatiently, "I've been looking for you for two hours."<br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> He later found out that Raegan went to Crystal Bay without telling him. <br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br /> He meant to go back to Serenity Villas. <br /> <br /> Raegan didn't move an inch. She just stared at his broad back and pondered reluctantly. <br /> <br /> Would they have a future? <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> The light in the corridor illuminated his face, making his side profile almost impeccable. <br /> <br /> Raegan took a deep breath and said, "Let's divorce."<br /> <br /> "What do you mean?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel's voice was cold, and his handsome face changed immediately. <br /> <br /> "I want to move into my own place. After all, we will be strangers soon."<br /> <br /> Raegan forced a smile, but her heart was aching as if someone was tearing it apart bit by bit. <br /> <br /> "We will be strangers?"<br /> <br /> Mitchel smiled coldly. "Raegan, what do you think our relationship is now?"<br /> <br /> His questioning left Raegan stunned for a moment. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Mitchel was quite the catch in Ardlens. Many young ladies longed for his love and were even willing to throw themselves at him. <br /> <br /> 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... <br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> After saying that, Raegan couldn't help but burst into tears. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> Regardless of how difficult it was, she knew it was time to let go. <br /> <br /> It was high time she stopped being a fool. <br /> <br /> Strangely, the light in the corridor began flickering. <br /> <br /> The deathly stare Mitchel was giving Raegan right now made the atmosphere seem like the moment before an attack in a horror movie. <br /> <br /> Although he understood that Raegan sometimes could throw a tantrum, he felt that she had just crossed the line now. <br /> <br /> 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..."<br /> <br /> "No, this isn't about her. Mr. Dixon, please leave now."<br /> <br /> A lot of things happened between them. And the incident with Tessa didn't come close to any. <br /> <br /> Raegan felt exhausted. She passed by Mitchel and was about to open the door. <br /> <br /> Yet, Mitchel was displeased with her stubbornness. <br /> <br /> He loosened his tie irritably. He then took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. <br /> <br /> "Stop this, will you?"<br /> <br /> A second later, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. <br /> <br /> He instantly realized that she was burning up like someone who had been set on fire. <br /> <br /> "You have a fever?"<br /> <br /> Raegan felt dizzy. She rested her head on his chest weakly. <br /> <br /> This made the whole situation complicated. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> 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?"<br /> <br /> The light flickered again. Out of the blue, Mitchel lifted her up. <br /> <br /> He then headed for the elevator. <br /> <br /> In a daze, Raegan asked softly, "What are you doing?"<br /> <br /> "What does it look like I am doing?" Mitchel remarked. "Taking you to the hospital, of course."<br /> <br /> "No way!" Raegan cried out in surprise and seemed to regain more strength. <br /> <br /> Mitchel might find out about her condition if they went to the hospital.<br /> <br /> Raegan struggled to get out of Mitchel's arms. However, his tight grip made her efforts fruitless. <br /> <br /> "Don't be so stubborn. You are sick, so you must see the doctor," Mitchel said firmly. <br /> <br /> 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. <br /> <br /> "Put me down! I don't want to go to the hospital!"<br /> <br /> &17&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-FB_CONTACT-E	103620315896367	Novel-Fun F	https://facebook.com/100087234559383	301	1	475,565,578,205,132	2024-06-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	0	Learn more	Novel-Fun F	120209920428910467	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	image		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-FB_CONTACT-ENJ57_9-C2-Core2.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=295122&accid=1809915872823177&jump=1		2024-06-06 02:17	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447291682_420119037606643_5108452995050667609_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=JQQY78PeBGUQ7kNvgGqW4jr&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYCqPE65bmgJUcBM2_rKTOL4mzG7zeK_eyuc4vA4muWXVQ&oe=6669FB51	person_profile	0	ReadNow	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447268259_838192464853088_1194980443040700254_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=8ulOwUA6L4cQ7kNvgFx7Yoo&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYCLLe7-txgATGqpKE-oZCQyj9T7Gemt2aDhbmPpeBkGpg&oe=6669F1AD	3	Novel-Fun F	2024-06-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
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1,871,106	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":false,"simple_request_ratio":1,"is_bh_selenium":false,"selenium_ratio":1,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	837958254865642	Superfood Complete: Nose to Tail Nutrition for a Healthier Dog	🐶 When is a dog "old"?<br /> Actress & dog activist, Katherine Heigl, reveals the answer. <br /> <br /> She's also sharing how to care for your dog NOW in order to protect their immunity, joints, digestion & energy levels for their later years. <br /> <br /> Watch more now to get the keys to a healthier dog & how Superfood Complete can help 👉 <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Flnk.to%2FBadlandsSurvey&h=AT2jbiP0Yq4a410OSu2Rvye0eLNMmsU3V4KW0snWKVujoAUdkWf8NqP-gO9gERPMFgh4-7BurrtMsUqjFvzcLP4uYbFXJwEzSSjE5g9X0HXn-bY0fdiVETsMhed94dyROSOoczMT4SSwGg" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">lnk.to/BadlandsSurvey</a>	LEARN_MORE	http://lnk.to/BadlandsSurvey	146438712035078	Katherine Heigl	https://facebook.com/KatieHeigl	4,873,615	10	1,507,405,636,793,073	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	Katherine Heigl	120210096202680243	caninesuperfoods.com	NONE	video		http://lnk.to/BadlandsSurvey		2024-06-07 14:46	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448057896_1270523531231923_5940362682030666865_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=njHVrrZm0vMQ7kNvgFhzxl7&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYDm75S86fSd3UoLAsiiHfevihQNPAU4RadV4vxTAG-QAg&oe=6669D1DC	person_profile	0			3	Katherine Heigl	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,870,884	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1870881}'	Yes	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	2261244144207280	🔥🔥🔥 Read <Revelation After My Daughter's Death> 👉👉👉	As my husband Spencer Jones was heading home to pick up our daughter Dora from school, he suddenly called to say he had something urgent. He left Dora halfway and asked me to pick her up.<br /> Worried that something might happen to Dora, despite having a high fever, I rushed towards her. But unfortunately, I was still too late.<br /> A truck without license plates hit her and fled the scene, resulting in her death.<br /> Holding Dora's lifeless body, I broke down in tears.<br /> Meanwhile, Spencer's first love Gloria Smith posted on her social media, ""You always appear just when I need you. Grateful to have you around!""<br /> Accompanying the post was a sweet photo of them together.<br /> Shaking, I took a screenshot and sent it to Spencer, asking, ""Is this why you left Dora by herself?""<br /> It wasn't until after our daughter's cremation and burial that Spencer finally responded, ""Dora is six and can manage by herself, but Gloria can't be without me!""<br /> ""Spencer, let's get a divorce.""<br /> I made the painful decision to request a divorce and sent my final message to Spencer before blocking him.<br /> Spencer had been the guiding light in my life for thirty years. We grew up together, attended school together, and everyone knew I'd always followed him.<br /> I stayed around him as his friend. From supporting his pursuits and dating of Gloria to witnessing his heartbreaks due to Gloria's departure, I'd been there every step of the way.<br /> I didn't recall when I started developing feelings for him, but during his relationship with Gloria, I endured the agony of unrequited love.<br /> After Gloria left and Spencer was heartbroken.<br /> I confessed my feelings, and we eventually married.<br /> We had known each other since we were five, dated at twenty, married at twenty-six, and welcomed our daughter Dora at twenty-nine. Now, Dora was six.<br /> I had followed Spencer for thirty years. For thirty years, my burning gaze had never left him.<br /> For thirty years, I spent all my precious youth on him.<br /> For thirty years, I gave my all, thinking that one day I would have a place in his heart.<br /> But I was wrong. In his heart, I was just the second-best option.<br /> He had always been the one who was doted by love, while I had gotten used to being humble and making sacrifices.<br /> Even though we were married with a child, I didn't dare ask too much of him.<br /> He was very busy at work, so I was sensible and never disturbed him. Whether it was illness, a prenatal check-up, or even giving birth, I dared not trouble him.<br /> I was afraid that if I didn't do something well, it would annoy him.<br /> This was the only time in all these years that I had a severe fever and had no other options, so I asked him to pick up Dora.<br /> But this time, because of Gloria, he abandoned Dora halfway, causing her death.<br /> She was only six years old and had so much potential!<br /> How lonely and scared she must have felt when she died!<br /> I knelt in front of Dora's grave and cried until my last tear dried up.<br /> Then I got up and left with a dead heart.<br /> Not long after, I saw Spencer holding Gloria's shoulders and walking towards me.<br /> Gloria was holding an urn in her hands, her face haggard, and Spencer looked at her with eyes full of pity and tenderness.<br /> ""Spencer, this cemetery is full of birds and flowers. Danny should like it, right?""<br /> Danny was a poodle she Gloria kept.<br /> Spencer had a distressed look on his face and was about to speak. But when he looked up, he saw me not far away.<br /> When our eyes met, the pity in his eyes turned into indifference.<br /> ""Linsey, you're never going to stop, are you? First you talked about divorce, and now you're following me here. Do you have nothing better to do?""<br /> He walked up to me, frowning with displeasure.<br /> ""Step aside.""<br /> I spoke coldly, not wanting to say another word to him.<br /> <br /> Chapter 2<br /> Gloria approached and said gently, ""Linsey, my beloved Danny died suddenly of illness. I was very upset, so I asked Spencer to accompany me. Please don't be angry.""<br /> Her voice was soft, but her eyes held a provocative expression of dominance, as if to say, ""With me, he's always there.""<br /> ""Oh, your man is so good to you,"" I replied expressionlessly.<br /> Spencer frowned. ""Linsey, can you be reasonable? Danny's death has already made Gloria very upset, and you're still being sarcastic?""<br /> Seeing Spencer so eager to defend Gloria, I glanced at him.<br /> Without another word, I simply pushed Spencer's shoulder away and walked off.<br /> As I departed, Spencer seemed a bit dazed.<br /> This was the first time I saw him and Gloria together without crying or making a fuss. I left calmly.<br /> Two seconds later, Spencer caught up with me and whispered, ""Isn't it just because I didn't take Dora home? Why are you so angry with me for so long? Why are you so petty?""<br /> He was the one who did something wrong, but I was always the one who got blamed.<br /> ""Well, it's all my fault,"" I replied coldly without even looking at him.<br /> Seeing my indifference, Spencer was a little surprised. He lowered his tone and explained, ""Danny's death was a big blow to Gloria. I was afraid she might have an accident if she was alone, so I hurried to find her. Is Dora mad at me? I'll make it up to her when I get back. She's so well-behaved, she will forgive me, right?""<br /> If he had paid any attention to our family, he would have known something had happened to his daughter.<br /> But he didn't. He focused entirely on Gloria.<br /> ""You don't have a chance anymore,"" I said, walking away again, not wanting to say another word to Spencer.<br /> Spencer reached out and grabbed my arm. ""Why is there no chance? Okay, okay, I promise to pick up Dora from school every day. You don't have to be so mad about this, okay?""<br /> Noticing my unusually cold attitude, Spencer seemed willing to lower his profile and make a promise for the first time.<br /> If Dora hadn't had the car accident, maybe I would have forgiven him.<br /> But now, it was impossible.<br /> ""Let's find a time and finalize the divorce as soon as possible,"" I said, shaking off Spencer's hand and leaving resolutely without looking back.<br /> Watching my back, Spencer felt as if something was slipping away from him. He frowned and called his secretary.<br /> ""Jenna, prepare the most exquisite doll for me and send it home to my daughter. Ask her to help persuade her mother not to be angry with me.""<br /> <br /> Chapter 3<br /> Before I even reached the cemetery gate, I received a call from the cemetery manager.<br /> ""Ms. Wood, someone is digging up your daughter's grave!""<br /> This sentence hit me like a bolt of lightning, making my heart feel like it exploded.<br /> I immediately turned around and ran towards Dora's grave, disregarding everything else.<br /> Dora was sunny and cheerful. She loved daisies, which also love the sun. She said she wanted to plant the entire backyard with daisies in the future.<br /> Her wish was not fulfilled in her lifetime, so I planted daisies on her grave after her death.<br /> I didn't put a tombstone for her but planted countless daisies, each one carrying my endless longing for her.<br /> ""Spencer, there are a lot of daisies here. Danny will definitely like it!""<br /> As soon as I arrived, I saw Gloria had already placed the urn she was holding into Dora's grave, and two bodyguards were refilling the grave.<br /> The daisies I had planted were dug up and scattered everywhere.<br /> Dora's urn was tossed carelessly next to a dirty pile of dirt.<br /> ""What are you doing?!""<br /> I rushed over like crazy, pushed aside the two bodyguards, and shouted angrily, ""Who told you to dig up the grave?""<br /> Gloria pretended to be terrified and shrank into Spencer's arms. ""I saw there was no tombstone here. It felt like an abandoned grave that no one cared about. It was full of beautiful daisies, so I thought Danny could rest in peace here. I asked the cemetery manager to contact the family of the deceased. I'll give them some compensation. The dead can't compare to real money. Their families won't object. But why are you yelling? You're scaring me.""<br /> Gloria always perfectly plays the role of the delicate lady, but she made me sick.<br /> I didn't waste time talking to her. I snatched the shovel from the bodyguard's hand and frantically dug up the soil they had just filled in.<br /> This was the place I prepared for Dora with all my heart. I won't allow anyone else to occupy it.<br /> ""Linsey, what are you doing? Stop it!""<br /> Spencer roared at me and grabbed the shovel from my hand.<br /> ""Spencer, you're a monster!""<br /> I shouted, then squatted down and dug with my hands.<br /> Seeing I was about to reach the urn, Gloria panicked and shouted, ""Why are you still standing there? Stop her! Don't let her touch Danny!""<br /> Two bodyguards immediately pulled me away.<br /> ""Let me go!""<br /> I struggled desperately, but I couldn't break free from their grip.<br /> Spencer walked towards me with a cold expression. ""Gloria is already upset because of Danny's death, and now you're digging up his grave to provoke her. You've gone too far. Apologize to Gloria immediately!""<br /> <br /> Chapter 4<br /> Spencer accused me condescendingly and ordered me to apologize to the woman who had dug up my daughter's grave.<br /> At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sadness.<br /> I glared at Spencer and said resolutely, ""Never!""<br /> ""Spencer, you said your wife was virtuous and generous, but she was just pretending. Look at her now. She's acting like a crazy woman. If people find out, wouldn't they laugh at you for having such a wife?""<br /> Gloria began to sow discord between Spencer and me, seizing the opportunity.<br /> Spencer glared at me with disgust and said sternly, ""Did you hear it? Don't embarrass me. Go home and be with Dora. How can you leave her alone at home?""<br /> I stared at Spencer and said through gritted teeth, ""Do you still care about Dora?""<br /> Spencer replied confidently, ""What are you talking about? Yes, I'm very busy and don't have time to spend with her, but I work hard for her. She is my only daughter, and all my assets will be hers. When she gets married, I'll give her the most luxurious dowry in the world. I want her to be proud of having a father like me.""<br /> Spencer's words struck a nerve. I couldn't help but yell, ""Spencer, stop pretending. If you really cared about Dora, you wouldn't have left her alone on the road for Gloria. She was only six years old. Did you ever think about how helpless she felt?""<br /> ""Why are you so annoying? You keep arguing with me over such a trivial matter. You're never going to stop, are you?""<br /> Spencer finally lost his patience and yelled at me.<br /> After saying this, he angrily kicked the urn next to the pile of dirt.<br /> Bang!<br /> The powerful kick made the urn roll several times on the ground, scattering the ashes everywhere.<br /> Seeing this, my mind exploded, and I was completely stunned.<br /> Last time, when I saw Dora hit by a truck, I was heartbroken. Now, seeing her ashes destroyed by her father, I felt an even deeper pain.<br /> I hated it so much!<br /> As if on cue, a gust of wind blew, scattering the ashes further.<br /> ""No, don't!""<br /> I struggled to break free from the bodyguards, reaching out to grab the floating ashes.<br /> But how could hands hold the ashes?<br /> They disappeared, just like Dora.<br /> The last tangible thing of Dora was gone.<br /> Overwhelmed by guilt and pain, I felt like I was being shattering.<br /> I lay on the ground, trying to gather the remaining ashes from the soil.<br /> Tears of despair streamed down my face.<br /> Gloria stepped forward, crushing the ashes under her foot, and taunted, ""Linsey, it's just a pile of stranger's ashes. Why are you putting on such a sad show? If you want to stop Danny from being buried, you don't need these tricks!""<br /> ""Get away from me!"" I shouted, standing up suddenly and pushing Gloria away.<br /> She staggered and fell to the ground.<br /> Spencer instantly turned furious. Without a word, he walked up to me and slapped me hard across the face.<br /> It was the first time he had ever hit me.<br /> But I didn't feel any pain on my face—my heart hurt far more.<br /> ""You left Dora at home alone only to bully Gloria out of ridiculous jealousy. You disappoint me so much. How did Dora end up with such a petty mother like you?"" Spencer was furious.<br /> ""You like crying over a stranger's ashes, right? Then cry as much as you want. From today on, I will take Dora away. You are not worthy of being her mother. I don't want Dora to be influenced by you!""<br /> As he spoke, Spencer took out his phone and ordered coldly, ""Jenna, take Dora to my private villa immediately. Linsey is not allowed to see her without my permission.""<br /> On the other end of the phone, Jenna hesitated before saying, ""Mr. Jones, Dora died in a car accident the day you were supposed to pick her up from school.""<br /> ""I also discovered that the grave full of daisies where Ms. Smith wanted to bury her dog is where Dora's ashes were buried！""<br /> ""Nonsense, this is impossible!""<br /> Spencer almost roared, glaring angrily.<br /> <br /> <br /> [Super short novel, the follow-up will be more exciting! Please download our APP to read more! ]"	LEARN_MORE	https://client.adoread.com/book/loading/page/adore	235254296344339	Adoread Romance story	https://facebook.com/61557113391558	136	5	1,167,585,494,586,788	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	0	Learn more	Adoread Romance story	120209313297200265	client.adoread.com	NONE	image		https://client.adoread.com/book/loading/page/adoread/05151045617?utm_campaign={{campaign.id}}&utm_content={{campaign.name}}		2024-06-07 05:33	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/445355275_888623192987944_1645236486688191923_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=yyTOZCw2VuoQ7kNvgGQ54zV&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYCcc6_8CTwcMaSYpwoeUHTgkfaqS3K7cigSQuAMh7Eb8A&oe=6669CF64	person_profile	0	Adoread Romance story	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/445369021_1277159643669005_547627355686371282_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=YTmrJHgUvWQQ7kNvgHbatbe&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYCBEhPGbnQhkzohTzLkXXbkvXmz6kyi6ZeZ7LU2NXuqAg&oe=6669E50E	3	Adoread Romance story	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,870,925	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1870947}'	Yes	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	518878154032844	🔞🔞Click to read the full novel👉👉	On her nineteenth birthday, Gina was brought back home by her biological parents. But little did she know, they only brought her back to be a free blood donor for their adopted daughter!<br /> Upon learning the truth, Gina left that family. As she departed, her identities as a top designer, doctor, and tycoon were revealed one by one. Her family could only plead for her return, but she replied, "Sorry, I'm not interested in going back to being a blood bank."<br /> ***<br /> Chapter 1 You Are A Curse<br /> "We've already taken 600cc. Drawing another 400cc could be deadly," the doctor warned urgently.<br /> "She is the reason Olivia is in this mess. If it costs her life, then so be it!" came a harsh reply.<br /> In a daze, Gina Miller caught this exchange between her mother, Ella Miller, and the doctor. It felt like her heart was being ripped apart.<br /> Gina had rescued her six brothers from a blaze, nearly losing her life. The heavens spared her, yet Ella seemed ready to act as the executioner, all for her adopted sister, Olivia Miller, who shared her rare blood type but not her bloodline.<br /> As Gina awoke with a splitting headache, feeling the prick of a needle on the back of her hand, she withdrew quickly. Pale and with a chill in her eyes, she sat up, demanding, "Don't touch me."<br /> Ella's fury ignited upon seeing Gina's defiance. She slapped her hard, yelling, "You selfish brat! Olivia rushed back worried about you after hearing about the fire, got into that accident, and now she's losing too much blood. All your fault, so yes, it's only fair we use your blood to save her."<br /> 'Olivia worried? Bullsh1t. She probably couldn't wait to dance on my grave,' Gina thought bitterly.<br /> "You curse! Ever since you came back, disaster follows. The fire, Olivia's accident, Phillip's stroke. Are you trying to wipe us all out? Why couldn't it have been you? Why don't you just drop dead?" Ella raged, hand raised for another hit.<br /> Gina had thought she had grown immune to the family's bias and venom, but in that moment, it felt like her heart was in a vice, being crushed.<br /> James Miller, Gina's eldest brother, held back Ella, thinking, 'Gina still needs to donate blood for Olivia. Can't have her damaged now. Once she is done, killing her wouldn't even matter.'<br /> He glared at Gina, accusing, "Always so damn jealous, picking on Olivia, who has never once held it against you. Got no heart? It's just a bit of blood."<br /> Taking 600cc was already pushing it, and now they wanted another 400cc. 'They're asking for a bit of blood? No, they're asking for my life,' Gina thought with a bitter laugh.<br /> Gina's second brother, Noah Miller, tried coaxing her. "Gina, the hospital is out of blood, and getting more would take too long. Olivia can't wait. Give your blood, and the Director of Design position at Miller Jewels is yours."<br /> Miller Jewels was in a slump until Gina offered her designs to save the family business.<br /> However, Noah, the CEO, gave her designs to Olivia, following a little coaxing, and credited Olivia with the success. The line was a hit, but the credit went to Olivia, the thief.<br /> When Gina sought justice, the family rallied behind Olivia, the wrongdoer. They said it was just "inspiration" and "coincidental similarities."<br /> Gina reflected, her tone icy as she responded, "Sorry, I'm not interested."<br /> Noah's face twisted in anger as he barked, "Don't be an idiot! That position was for Olivia. We're handing it to you on a silver platter, and you're still ungrateful?"<br /> Gina let out a soft laugh, thinking, 'I never gave a damn about the position. I helped because I thought of you as family. But you've never seen me as your sister.'<br /> The slap from Ella knocked some sense into Gina, making her mind even clearer.<br /> 'The Miller family belongs to Olivia. I grew up in an orphanage. I never had a real family,' she mused bitterly.<br /> At that moment, Gina let go of any hope for affection from her so-called family. She closed her eyes in despair, and when she opened them again, all that remained was a cold resolve.<br /> Seeing Gina unfazed, her third brother, Liam Miller, lost his patience. "Olivia is on death's door. Quit the bullsh1t and tie her down! If 400cc ain't enough, we'll take 600cc."<br /> "What the hell are you waiting for? Do it!" Liam barked at the medical staff.<br /> Caught in a moral dilemma, the medical team hesitated. Their oath was to save lives, not risk them, yet defying the Miller family was out of the question.<br /> A nurse, voice trembling and on the verge of tears, begged Gina. "Miss Miller, please. Just cooperate with us."<br /> Pissed off, Liam decided to intervene. Gina, locking eyes with him, her gaze icy, spat out, "I told you, don't Fvking touch me!"<br /> Liam, momentarily thrown off by Gina's fierce look, recovered and growled, "I'll have to see about that."<br /> He lunged for her, but Gina was quicker, catching his wrist in a vice grip.<br /> A sharp snap echoed as Liam screamed, his knees buckling, landing him in a heap at Gina's feet.<br /> 'How the hell did she do that?' Liam was in disbelief, staring at his twisted wrist, thinking, 'She looks like she could be blown over by a breeze, yet she broke my hand so easily?'<br /> "Fvking hell, you hit me? I'll end you!" Liam howled, trying to retaliate. Gina responded with a swift kick to his chest, sending waves of agony through him, likely breaking ribs.<br /> Ella gasped, "Gina, are you out of your mind? Hitting your own brother?"<br /> Gina had shown restraint. This was her final act of mercy towards Liam.<br /> She shot Ella a cold glance, stating simply, "He had it coming."<br /> Without another word, Gina stepped over Liam, heading for the door.<br /> "Stop, just stop!" Ella screamed, her voice raw with desperation.<br /> Gina didn't even pause.<br /> The others in the room hesitated to intercept her, wary of ending up like Liam.<br /> "How can I have such a heartless b1tch for a sister? After a year of freeloading off the Miller family, basking in luxury, don't you owe us a damn thing?" James exploded in rage.<br /> Gina halted, turned, and gave the three men a look colder than ice. "I saved your asses from a fire. And this is how you repay me?"<br /> They were left speechless.<br /> With venom in her voice, Ella spat, "Walk out now, and don't ever think you can return to the Miller family. You ingrate!"<br /> Chapter 2 Coercion And Seduction<br /> Gina's lips, pale as death, curved into a cold smile. "Don't worry. I'm not crawling back."<br /> After wiping off the blood Ella had drawn from her lips in the restroom, Gina caught her ghostly pale reflection. Mocking herself, she thought, 'What a joke I've become, all for a worthless family bond.'<br /> Checking her pulse, Gina remembered the fire at the old mansion. After saving her six brothers, her body gave in to carbon monoxide poisoning. Plus, they had drained 600cc of her blood. Still, she was only a bit weak, nothing more serious.<br /> Opening her phone, she saw a message from Olivia before the car accident. [Ethan and I are getting engaged next weekend. You won't skip it, will you, Gina?]<br /> [The marriage that should have been yours had you not vanished. You're not mad I took your man, right?] Olivia's message reeked of smugness.<br /> To Olivia, Ethan Jackson was a gem. To Gina, he was trash.<br /> With a cold chuckle, Gina texted back. [Expect a lavish gift. Have a blast at your engagement.]<br /> Gina used to overlook Olivia's low blows because of their shared blood. But now, she was determined to make Olivia regret it all.<br /> Losing any interest in Olivia's reply, Gina blocked every Miller on her contacts. Then, she dialed a number she hadn't called in a year, her voice slightly hoarse. "Vegate Central Hospital, come get me."<br /> "Right away," came the reply.<br /> Meanwhile, Olivia sat unscathed on the hospital bed, sneering at Gina's reply. 'Thinks you can mess with me? As if you have the guts. You're probably bleeding out and close to death by now.'<br /> Olivia wasn't actually of the rare blood type. She had bribed a doctor to lie. The precious blood drawn from Gina was disposed of down the drain.<br /> When the doctors winked from the door, Olivia swiftly played the weakling, sprawling herself on the bed as Ella and company entered.<br /> Pretending to have just woken up, Olivia blinked at her two brothers and feigned distress. "Mom, how is Gina? She is okay, right?"<br /> Ella thought bitterly, 'Gina refuses to give blood and even assaults Liam. Yet, here is Olivia, barely awake, worrying about Gina. Talk about angels and demons.'<br /> Angrily, Ella snapped, "Forget her. From now on, Olivia, you're the only daughter in the Miller family. Consider that girl dead to us."<br /> Olivia had been waiting a whole year for those words. Thrilled yet cautious not to overdo her reaction, she curiously asked, "And Liam? Where is he?"<br /> James grumbled, "That damn Gina broke his ribs. He is off getting treatment."<br /> Olivia's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Liam, a ninth-dan black belt, champion at the International Boxing Competition, gets beaten by a frail Gina? Bullsh1t,' she thought.<br /> Collecting herself, Olivia asked, "So, Gina is gone?"<br /> Then she began to sob. "Gina hates me, and I get it. Everything I have is supposed to be hers. But where did I wrong my brothers? It's all my fault. I wish I never existed."<br /> Seeing Olivia shoulder all the blame, Ella felt her heart break. She hugged Olivia, soothing her. "Sweetheart, you've done nothing wrong. Luckily, the blood transfusion worked. You're gonna be fine."<br /> Olivia sniffled, playing the innocent card. "So, Gina just stormed off without saying sorry to Liam?"<br /> Her question hit a nerve with Ella. 'How the hell did we let that brat off so easily? Ever since Gina waltzed back into our lives, it's been disaster after disaster. She is the damn curse that's been plaguing our family. She owes an apology to Olivia and Liam."<br /> Ella dialed the housekeeper, Lucas Harris. "If Gina dares to show her face here, tie her up and chuck her in the basement until I can deal with her myself!"<br /> "Don't bother feeding her. Let her stew on what she has done," James chimed in coldly.<br /> "And Lucas, give her a good whipping, but don't kill her. No mercy needed; she is asking for it," Noah added with a vicious tone.<br /> "Got it," Lucas responded.<br /> An hour later, Lucas reported back. "Mrs. Miller, we can't find the young miss anywhere. She has not come back, and she is nowhere to be found."<br /> 'That little sh1t, she thinks she can just not come back to the Miller family? Impossible! Where would she even go, abandoning the life of luxury here?' Ella muttered disdainfully.<br /> "Just keep looking," Ella snapped.<br /> "Yes, Mrs. Miller," Lucas responded.<br /> "Yeah, let's see how she manages on her own. Pop is barely cold, and she's already eyeing the inheritance. Like hell, she's cutting ties with us." James scoffed.<br /> "As it gets darker, I wonder if Gina is safe out there. Did anyone take her in?" Olivia asked, feigning concern.<br /> Noah just snorted. "Olivia, drop it. She is not worth your worry. She tried to snatch Ethan right from under you. And here you are, still caring about her. What a fool!"<br /> "If Gina ends up dead out there, she had it coming," he added harshly.<br /> <br /> ---<br /> "Does it hurt?" Inside the Rolls Royce, Michael Clark looked at the bruises on Gina's hand and frowned deeply, gently applying ointment and blowing on it to ease the sting.<br /> Gina felt a tickle and withdrew her hand, busy on her laptop. "Nah, it's nothing. I'm not so fragile."<br /> The bruises on Gina's hand, likely from improperly drawn blood, were swollen. Far from receiving concern from her so-called family, all she got was guilt-tripped.<br /> 'If it were Olivia, even a tiny scratch would have them up in arms, right?' Gina scoffed internally, her gaze dripping with derision.<br /> Minutes later, staring at the gathered evidence, Gina smirked coldly. "Print these out for me, will you?"<br /> Michael glanced at the laptop screen, slightly put off, and nodded. "Sure thing."<br /> "Gina, time to head back to Oriata City. You have got a situation to take control of," Michael gently suggested.<br /> "Not yet. The trap isn't set," Gina replied, her eyes reflecting a chilly resolve as she stared out the window, deep in thought.<br /> That brutal massacre seemed tangled up with the Miller family.<br /> Chapter 3 A Desperate Showdown<br /> "Gina, your dorm at school has gone up in flames," Michael stated as they drove.<br /> Gina's eyes narrowed a bit. "Alright, I'll head back and check it out." Exiting the car, she made her way on foot.<br /> Her phone vibrated with a text from an unknown number. [Where the hell have you vanished to? Get your ass back to home, now!]<br /> Gina scoffed and blocked the number. 'Really? Changing numbers to harass me? What the Fvk are they thinking?' she thought.<br /> She had made up her mind to sever ties with the Miller family and wasn't about to let them pull her back in.<br /> When the Millers first found her, Gina was on a mountain, gathering medicinal herbs, covered in dirt and sweat.<br /> They mistook her for someone foraging for wild vegetables, their eyes laden with barely concealed disdain.<br /> They were momentarily surprised to hear Gina had aced her college entrance exam and secured a spot at Trowell University. However, they quickly diminished her achievement, thinking she was nothing more than a bookworm, lacking the grace and talents of Olivia, who had been shoehorned into Trowell's art program through connections and hefty sums.<br /> Gina rarely stayed with the Miller family. They rationalized it by saying living in the dorm was more convenient, saving her the trouble of commuting. Meanwhile, they bent over backward driving Olivia, a fellow Trowell student, around.<br /> But Gina seldom spent her time at school. To her, college was meaningless; she only needed an innocuous front. Yet, this became Olivia's ammunition to slander her, accusing Gina of being a dropout, always skipping class, and goofing off God knows where.<br /> Regardless of how much Gina tried to set the record straight, the Miller family wouldn't have a bar of it.<br /> Ella spared no venom in her ridicule. "Look at you. What could you possibly achieve? You might as well quit now."<br /> James once mocked her. "Grew up in the sticks, eh? First time laying eyes on a computer? Why aimlessly pick computer science?"<br /> Noah sneered. "Better think about dropping out before the school shows you the door. We can't afford that kind of shame."<br /> Even when Gina bagged a scholarship as the top student, paying her way through college, they couldn't muster a single word of praise.<br /> All the while, Olivia, who bumbled through piano lessons despite the fortunes spent, failing to grasp even the basics after a year, was showered with praise.<br /> Gina closed her eyes, chuckling at her folly. 'I should've seen through this bullsh1t a long time ago,' she thought.<br /> Just a short walk later, a BMW rolled to a slow stop beside Gina, the window sliding down to reveal James glaring from within.<br /> James cursed under his breath, 'Figures, she has headed back to school. Blocking her path here was spot on. She has even blocked all our numbers and ignored my texts. She is asking for it!'<br /> "Get in the car!" he demanded, voice dripping with menace. "Come home and kneel, apologize to the whole family."<br /> Gina gave him a look reserved for lunatics. "Are you dreaming?"<br /> James, momentarily thrown, snapped back, "What's this about dreaming? Are you ignoring me? Get back here now!"<br /> "Awake and still talking crap?" Gina fired back, unyielding.<br /> James was boiling with anger, thinking, 'Did she hit her head? Used to be as quiet as a mouse, barely uttering a word. And now look at her, she is sharp as a tack.'<br /> He stepped out of the car, blocking Gina's way.<br /> James sneered. "You think you can just disappear? One word to the principal from us, and you're out of Trowell University immediately. Think twice, Gina."<br /> 'Kick me out? As if you could,' Gina thought, her inner voice laced with scorn.<br /> "What makes you think you deserve an apology?" Gina asked, voice cold and lips curled into a smirk.<br /> "You ungrateful brat," James fumed. "Forging Dad's signature, creating a fake will. That alone deserves more than a mere punishment, and yet you dare to question me?"<br /> Gina couldn't help but laugh, retorting, "I only return home when you call. I don't even have the keys, let alone access to Dad's room. How could I have possibly used his seal on the will?"<br /> James faltered before insisting, "Who knows what you did to steal it."<br /> Gina smiled, resigned to the familiar outcome. 'Never mind, my brothers will never suspect their darling sister, Olivia,' she thought.<br /> Feeling no more words were necessary, Gina turned to leave.<br /> "Stop!" James shouted, determined to drag Gina back home today.<br /> He grabbed her arm, but Gina's icy gaze made him flinch, thinking of Liam still in the hospital. Reluctantly, James let go.<br /> Gina continued towards the school.<br /> A venomous look flashed in James's eyes as he climbed back into the car and ordered the driver. "Just hit her. Let's see her run then."<br /> The driver hesitated, appalled at James's thought of harming Gina.<br /> "What are you waiting for? Do it! I'll take the fall," James barked impatiently.<br /> Seeing the driver balk, James shoved him aside, took the wheel, and floored it, aiming straight for Gina's retreating figure.<br /> In a split-second save, a Rolls Royce shot out from the side, blocking the BMW.<br /> James hit the brakes hard, his face colliding with the steering wheel, nose bleeding instantly from the impact.<br /> "Damn it, who the hell?" he cursed loudly.<br /> As he got out, cursing, James noticed the Rolls Royce. It was a custom model limited to one per region, owned by only one person in the North City, Gabriel Jackson.<br /> He remembered Gabriel was a board member of Trowell University and uncle to Olivia's fiancé, Ethan – practically family.<br /> Yet, despite the long-standing engagement, they had never met Gabriel.<br /> The Rolls Royce driver yelled at James. "Can you even drive? Move it!"<br /> James, regaining his composure and wanting to retaliate, instinctively looked towards the back seat's still-open window, feeling a chill down his spine.<br /> Chapter 4 Are You Sick?<br /> Inside the car, Gabriel watched James through the rearview mirror, a chilling intent surfacing in his otherwise indifferent eyes. 'Was James really about to run Gina over?' he mused.<br /> His eyes narrowed dangerously as he coldly commanded his assistant, David Gray. "Find an opportunity to deal with James."<br /> "Got it," David replied.<br /> As the Rolls Royce pulled up at the entrance of Trowell University, the principal, Jack Barker, spotting the familiar license plate, quickly put on a flattering smile to greet him. "Mr. Jackson! What a surprise."<br /> Gabriel, expressionless, stepped out and cut straight to the chase. "What's the status of the dorm fire investigation?"<br /> Jack tensed, realizing the gravity of Gabriel's unexpected interest. He knew he had to get this right or risk his position.<br /> Mopping his brow, Jack nervously said, "Mr. Jackson, our fire safety checks are rigorous and up to date. It's likely a student brought in something flammable. We're looking into it."<br /> Gabriel, eyes downcast, suspected the fire targeting Gina's dorm was no accident. "Let's check out the scene," he suggested.<br /> "Oh, right, of course," Jack stammered, leading the way.<br /> Elsewhere, Gina stared at her dorm's charred remains, a pang of loss hitting her. All her belongings turned to ash while she was out cold in the hospital.<br /> "Gina!" A sharp female voice called out.<br /> Gina turned to see Lily Allen, one of her roommates and a flunky for Olivia. Given Lily's association with Olivia, she had always looked for ways to trouble Gina.<br /> Gina, uninterested in entertaining Olivia's lackey, attempted to leave, but Lily persisted.<br /> Confronting Gina, Lily accused, "Just like Olivia said, you're a curse. The fire started in our dorm. I nearly died because of you!"<br /> Gina scoffed, shaking her off. "I wasn't even there. How could you pin this on me? Are you brain-damaged from the smoke?"<br /> Lily persisted, "Who knows what those two dark bottles in your closet were? Probably something flammable!"<br /> "You broke into my locker?" Gina's eyes narrowed.<br /> Unashamed, Lily boasted, "And what if I did?"<br /> Gina retorted with icy disdain, "Thief."<br /> Lily's face flushed. "Who cares about the trash in your locker?"<br /> 'A medical bag, some dark pills, two mysterious bottles, and a few books... She acts like they're a treasure,' Lily thought scornfully.<br /> Gina, fed up, decided to call the cops.<br /> "What the hell are you doing?" Lily blurted out.<br /> "Catching a thief," Gina replied, her tone frosty.<br /> Lily, incensed, shot back, "You're the real thief! Bet you started the fire, you sicko, seeking revenge! Those dark bottles had to be gasoline, right?"<br /> Gina almost burst into laughter at the absurd accusation, mentally scoffing at Lily's ignorance. She found it pointless to explain.<br /> Desperate to stop Gina from calling the police, Lily tried to grab her phone but failed. Frustrated and embarrassed, she picked up a brick from the ground, ready to hurl it at Gina.<br /> "Mr. Jackson, please, watch your step," Jack said with a respectful tone, guiding the way. His expression soured when he spotted Gina and Lily in the aftermath. "What are you doing here? This area is dangerous, didn't you know?"<br /> Lily felt her heart skip a beat when the brick she was holding dropped to the ground. Turning around, the first person she noticed was Gabriel, standing coolly beside Jack.<br /> With an aura cold as ice and devastatingly handsome looks, Gabriel was a sight to behold.<br /> Lily's heart fluttered. 'Why is Mr. Jackson here? His last visit during the school anniversary caused quite a sensation.'<br /> Spotting her chance, Lily rushed to Jack, blurting out, "Mr. Baker, I need to report something! Gina's locker contained two cans of some unknown liquid, possibly flammable or explosive. I suspect she is behind the fire!"<br /> Jack, now concerned, called out, "Gina, stop right there!"<br /> As Gina turned, her gaze met Gabriel's. They had crossed paths before, but weren't well-acquainted. Yet, she felt an unusual warmth in his gaze. 'Am I imagining things?' she thought, brushing it off.<br /> "What's this I hear from Lily?" Jack demanded.<br /> Gina coolly responded, "They're just bottles of medicine, not explosives. While we're at it, could you also look into Lily's attempt to steal?"<br /> Gabriel's interest piqued, "You're sick?"<br /> Gina, puzzled by his sudden concern, replied, "No, I'm fine."<br /> "What the hell are you talking about? Who stole from you?" Lily was in denial.<br /> "And how did you know what was in my locker if you didn't break into it?" Gina shot back.<br /> Lily panicked. "How can you prove those weren't gasoline?"<br /> Gina retorted, "Prove your claim first. Show me evidence they're gasoline."<br /> Trying to defuse the situation, Jack intervened, "Enough! Both of you, to my office, now!"<br /> Gabriel, however, interjected, "Did you miss her trying to hurt someone?"<br /> Jack realized, recalling Lily's actions, that had they been late, Gina could have been seriously injured.<br /> "I was just joking!" Lily protested.<br /> "Joking? Since when is picking up a brick funny?" Gina's sarcasm was biting.<br /> Jack decided on the spot. "You're on probation, Lily. Leave before you cause more trouble."<br /> Gina watched Lily's tearful exit without a trace of satisfaction. After all, to Gina, Lily was merely one of Olivia's minions. 'Dealing with a minion hardly counts as a victory,' Gina mused.<br /> Trying to backtrack, Lily stammered, "I'm sorry, Gina. I was wrong to break into your locker and tamper with your stuff. I apologize. Let me make it up to you, I'll pay for the damages!"<br /> Chapter 5 Time To Cut Them Off<br /> Gina looked down on Lily, who was crying her eyes out. She knew well Lily's tears weren't about remorse but fear of punishment.<br /> With a cold laugh, Gina commanded, "Scram."<br /> 'Idiot,' Gina thought, unwilling to waste another second on her.<br /> Lily scrambled away, too flustered to even greet Jack as she made her exit.<br /> Gina glanced at Gabriel and said coolly, "Thanks. Goodbye."<br /> "Need a ride?" Gabriel's gaze was fixed solely on Gina as if she were the only one in the world.<br /> Gina felt uneasy under Gabriel's unexplained eagerness, thinking, 'Mr. Jackson, suddenly playing the good Samaritan? Doesn't quite fit.'<br /> "No, thanks," she replied.<br /> No sooner had Gina declined than Gabriel whipped out a business card, gently grabbing her hand and placing the card in her palm.<br /> "Call me for anything," Gabriel offered, his voice soft.<br /> Jack watched in disbelief, internally marveling. 'I can't even snag Mr. Jackson's direct line. Is he into her or something?'<br /> Despite her reluctance to owe anyone anything, Gina didn't want to snub Gabriel in front of others, so she accepted the card.<br /> Gabriel's gaze lingered on Gina's retreating figure until she vanished from sight.<br /> He felt a sense of relief that Gina appeared unharmed.<br /> <br /> ---<br /> It wasn't until later that Gina finally had a moment to check her phone, only to find it bombarded with annoying messages from the Millers, who had even gone as far as changing their numbers to harass her.<br /> 'This is getting ridiculous. Time to cut them off for good,' she thought.<br /> Her reply was curt. [Tonight. Scrumptuous Delights, room 0826.]<br /> Scrumptuous Delights was the restaurant that the Miller family had chosen for their so-called family reunion dinner, tailored to Olivia's preferences, right down to the excessive cilantro in every dish, despite Gina's disdain for it. Gina had barely touched her food that day, not that anyone cared.<br /> Meanwhile, back at the Miller mansion, James slapped his thigh. "The b1tch finally replies. She wants us at Scrumptuous Delights. Thinks a dinner can smooth things over?"<br /> Ella, with a look of disdain, said, "As if we will let her off that easily. She has been nothing but a jinx to us all."<br /> Recalling his near-miss with Gabriel and the subsequent tire fiasco, James thought, 'Just my luck, dealing with Gina only brings trouble.'<br /> Olivia, barely concealing her smugness, chimed in, "Mom, bro, let me handle Gina tonight."<br /> Ella, visibly worried, protested, "Honey, how can I let you face her alone? What if she lashes out? You've already suffered because of her once."<br /> Trying to appear noble, Olivia replied, "Don't worry, mom. Remember, the fortune teller said I'm blessed. I can handle her curse. Let me deal with this."<br /> Ella's heart ached, wishing more than ever Olivia was her own. 'Fate's cruel jokes.' She sighed.<br /> "No way, you're not up for dealing with that menace. She doesn't even spare Liam. Who knows what she's capable of? We're all going tonight, see what this brat is plotting!" Noah declared fiercely.<br /> Ella, protective as ever, reassured Olivia. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I won't let her humiliate you. We'll have her begging for your forgiveness."<br /> Trying to suppress her glee, Olivia coughed.<br /> Ella instantly tensed, asking, "What's wrong, dear? Are you feeling okay?"<br /> "I'm fine, mom. I'll go rest up in my room." Olivia feigned weakness, making her way out.<br /> "Sure, darling. Go rest," Ella said softly, watching Olivia go with tender eyes.<br /> Back in her room, Olivia got a call from Lily. "Olivia, you have to help me take down that b1tch Gina!"<br /> Olivia rolled her eyes, annoyed at Lily's stupidity for getting caught red-handed by a trustee during her attempt to sabotage Gina.<br /> Lily didn't drop any names, so Olivia just assumed it was some old guy like Jack.<br /> With a scoff, Olivia said, "Don't sweat the small stuff. I won't even have to lift a finger. Just do what I say."<br /> Lily was all ears, and after getting the plan, a smug grin took over her face. "Got it."<br /> After hanging up, Lily was at the roadside, cursing, "Gina, you b1tch, your ass is mine!"<br /> What she didn't know was a Rolls Royce parked nearby with Gabriel inside, catching every word of her rant.<br /> Gabriel's eyebrows knitted, a flash of malice in his eyes as he called Jack.<br /> Jack answered immediately, "Mr. Jackson? Is there something else?"<br /> "Drop Lily's probation. Expel her." Gabriel's voice was suddenly ice.<br /> Jack got the shivers, knowing well once Gabriel made up his mind, there was no changing it. "Alright," he said.<br /> After the call, Gabriel's look darkened, silently swearing, 'No one Fvks with Gina and gets away with it.'<br /> <br /> ---<br /> As night fell, the Miller family made their way to Scrumptuous Delights, and stormed into the private room, only to find it empty.<br /> Just as they were wondering if they had been played, Gina showed up. She was in high spirits, her light makeup accentuating her already stunning features.<br /> Olivia, noticing her family's attention was all on Gina, clenched her fists, quickly trying to pull them back. "Gina, vent all you want at me, just spare mom and brother. I don't need your sorry. Apologize to them, and let's just be one big happy family, okay?"<br /> Gina couldn't help but laugh at Olivia's dramatic act, responding sarcastically, "Really? A car crash just two days ago and here you are, acting all fine? Olivia, you're tougher than I thought."<br /> Then, with a taunt, she added, "Like a cockroach."<br /> Olivia was livid, thinking, 'This b1tch just called me a cockroach?'<br /> Chapter 6 The Agreement<br /> Ella's face contorted with fury as she snapped at Gina. "Shut your trap, or I'll shut it for you! Olivia getting better so quickly is just her luck!"<br /> "Our family would have been ruined without Olivia, our lucky star. It's your bad mojo that got the old house burned down!" James piled on.<br /> "We should have never let a disaster like you in." Noah stirred the pot further.<br /> "You've been living in luxury on our dime, and this is how you thank us?" They continued their tirade.<br /> Gina laughed coldly. "Would you even give me the time of day if it wasn't for that 20% share? Besides, you've got the shares, not me."<br /> Before passing away, Evelyn Miller, Gina's grandma willed that the lost Miller bloodline be found to inherit her 20% stake in the Miller Group. That share, meant for Gina, was quickly pocketed by the family, without so much as a peep.<br /> Ella, defensive, lashed out, "You really think you deserve the shares? Don't expect a single penny from us, you ungrateful wretch."<br /> Gina was unfazed, disinterested in anything the Miller family had.<br /> Tired of their nonsense, she threw an agreement on the table.<br /> James glanced at it and saw "Severance Agreement."<br /> 'Is she really cutting ties with us?' he wondered in disbelief.<br /> The Millers looked at each other, silently agreeing it was probably for the best.<br /> Olivia barely suppressed a smirk, conjuring up sad thoughts to hide her glee.<br /> "Seriously, Gina? You're the real Miller here. Hate me, not them. How can you make things right with Mom and the brothers? I hate seeing us like this. If it'll fix things, I'll do whatever it takes. After all, everything I have should've been yours." Olivia's voice broke as she spoke.<br /> Gina watched Olivia's act, barely holding back a laugh. "Willing to sacrifice anything, huh?"<br /> Olivia nodded vigorously.<br /> Gina smirked coldly. "Then die."<br /> If Olivia hadn't called her back to the Miller family with fake concern, Gina wouldn't have returned or encountered the fire. The timing of the fire, right after Olivia left, made her involvement undeniable.<br /> 'You want me dead, and I am not about to show mercy,' Gina thought inwardly.<br /> Pretending to be shocked, Olivia cried, "So you really do hate me."<br /> "Yeah, so why are you still standing? Go ahead, die!" Gina's laugh was cold.<br /> Tears streaming, Olivia grabbed a wine glass, smashed it, and picked up a shard to slash her wrist. "If my death brings you back to the family, I'll do it." She tightened her grip, blood seeping out.<br /> The brothers and Ella were dumbfounded by Olivia's theatrics, which made Gina seem even more intimidating.<br /> Sure, Olivia wouldn't do it. Gina stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and pressed the shard to her neck. "Cut here, and it'll be quick."<br /> Olivia was petrified, not expecting Gina to go through with it. Blood trickled down her neck.<br /> Ella, regaining her senses, screamed, "You're insane!" Grabbing a bottle, she prepared to strike Gina.<br /> James and Noah grabbed chairs, ready to jump in.<br /> "Touch Olivia and you're dead!" James roared.<br /> "Step closer, and I slit her throat. Wanna see who is faster?" Gina challenged, her voice ice-cold.<br /> "Piece of sh1t!" Ella cursed, rage boiling but not daring to move.<br /> Gina pressed the shard a bit deeper, making Olivia's knees buckle. She knelt, and Gina finally let go.<br /> In a whirlwind of panic, Ella darted forward, pulling Olivia into a protective hug, while James and Noah quickly positioned themselves as Olivia's shield.<br /> "Olivia, honey, are you alright?" Ella's voice was laden with worry.<br /> Olivia, clutching her neck, felt a sharp sting. She revealed a bloodied hand, looking pitifully wronged but internally ranting, 'Is this b1tch crazy? Or did she suddenly get bold because she's got a big shot backing her?'<br /> Tears welling up, Olivia turned to Ella with a look of utter distress. "Mom, I'm fine. As long as Gina calms down, that's all that matters."<br /> Ella, visibly infuriated, hissed. "Gina, you've crossed the line this time."<br /> She nodded at James and Noah	LEARN_MORE	https://website.literiess.com/share/middle/x1ezvxq	208866562311202	Endless Stories	https://facebook.com/61555726498427	246	2	965,185,375,055,264	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	Endless Stories	120209131686000214	website.literiess.com	NONE	video		https://website.literiess.com/share/middle/x1ezvxqc1tkxk0toqtzzw4e5?campaign_id={{campaign.id}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&campaign={{campaign.name}}&adgroup={{adset.name}}		2024-05-20 12:00	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441191883_1130746678015079_9054407194854607734_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=zb_rMI1aG9EQ7kNvgFFkvSv&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYBa7HmYElnmZIKh4a-r-aSlDVl7jpsmJAgG12--cHHXlQ&oe=6669CF11	person_profile	0	Endless Stories	https://scontent.fagc3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441971073_729662056035128_2625014040229505148_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=BCqHdQMrsEYQ7kNvgH3eBS6&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-2.fna&oh=00_AYB2_xuUE4TSzhHt3w9Q50b7Ze-ewSI1Fls3xwtXI16nBQ&oe=6669F333	3	Endless Stories	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
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1,871,047	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1871045}'	No	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	1005161370517883	💡 Breakthrough Solutions for Lowering A1C Levels Instantly! 🌿🚀	Take charge of your health with these innovative, natural methods that are helping Americans quickly reduce their A1C levels. 🩺✨ Start feeling better now with these groundbreaking tips! 🌿💪	LEARN_MORE	https://topicwisdom.com/top-5-ways-to-lower-your-a	149501181582068	TopicWisdom Site	https://facebook.com/61552793430381	373	1	949,079,613,680,375	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn more	TopicWisdom Site	120208961721400038	topicwisdom.com	NONE	image	Lowering your A1C is crucial for managing diabetes effectively, as it reduces the risk of serious complications such as heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve problems. By keeping your A1C levels in check, you can maintain better overall health and enjoy a higher quality of life.Lowering A1C levels...	https://topicwisdom.com/top-5-ways-to-lower-your-a1c-levels?utm_campaign=tw-a1c-tg1-fb-us-lk-0607-GE02&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=tg1&utm_content=a1c&utm_medium=lk		2024-06-07 16:49	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448003352_472738221910269_7144032237090992944_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hmfWSzsWHIgQ7kNvgH2yk8W&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYApXzELmatypRwzC2DGvwVV2ActMIyfeuuvTjgOBj_jTw&oe=6669E202	person_profile	0			3	TopicWisdom Site	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete
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1,871,093	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1871097}'	Yes	2024-06-08 03:24	active	964	1308360526789669	Top 5 Nerve Supplements🏆	We researched 82 nerve supplements—these are the top five. Click to see the results!🔍	LEARN_MORE	https://www.reviewscout.org/top-5-nerve-supplement	246166735251692	Review Scout	https://facebook.com/reviewscout.org	228	1	479,904,511,171,761	2024-06-07 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	0	Learn More	Review Scout	120209520721870113	reviewscout.org	NONE	dco	{{product.description}}	https://www.reviewscout.org/top-5-nerve-supplements		2024-06-07 15:15	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447964418_7602156649821723_1328943471320849548_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=V9I9HRkUfZEQ7kNvgEmK34L&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYByn3pDl-Js9YjiPKo6x6xnnRJ1dCNntguBkGPXOiC-Xw&oe=6669E78E	person_profile	0	Review Scout	https://scontent.fagc3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447958837_3400530363579632_4057917055232962605_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=4XU6WDj5RegQ7kNvgFB0lXh&_nc_ht=scontent.fagc3-1.fna&oh=00_AYA7MN3oMKiNskLih6kA0sfZC_W4lqw56_zHMnIgfg_PXg&oe=6669D641	3	Review Scout	2024-06-07 02:00	View Edit Delete

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