Confucius Ads Library: Ads

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1,778,660	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1777945}'	No	2024-05-08 18:41	active	760	344579878637330	Book Your New Patient Package Today! (World Class Chiropractic + Red Light Treatment)	Maddie told me she had a “Bad Back”. This treatment made her feel great within minutes! <br /> <br /> God made your body to THRIVE on this planet. If you are not feeling like you are thriving, we can help! <br /> <br /> Well Health & Chiropractic is a Christian full body wellness center designed to pull you out of a crumbling medical model. <br /> <br /> We offer: <br /> ✔ World Class Corrective Chiropractic <br /> ✔ Full body Red Light Therapy (accelerates ligament and Hormone regeneration) <br /> ✔ Advanced Nutrition. <br /> <br /> If you are ready to take a MAJOR step towards being the healthy man/ or woman on the block, book an online special to come see us today! <br /> <br /> Our $79 Online Special is the best way to get started! <br /> <br /> Online Special includes: <br /> ✅ Exam + X-rays (if needed) <br /> ✅ Chiropractic Adjustment <br /> ✅ Full Body Red Light Therapy Treatment <br /> <br /> Come see what everyone is raving about! <br /> <br /> Click below to book your spot before they are all gone!	BOOK_TRAVEL	http://fb.me/	101023786081289	Well Health & Chiropractic Springfield	https://facebook.com/wellhealthspringfield	189	1	1,409,957,602,989,512	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Book now	Well Health & Chiropractic Springfield	120208290540840500	fb.me	NONE	video		http://fb.me/	2024-05-08 05:37	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441080127_1834132280396952_8757801099230008699_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=_ia0Rsg9gM4Q7kNvgETVluE&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfCSIarqDuYMqLEqw6f9YKf1IGb1NEJ7XKjB_5c5iOdxYA&oe=6641EA97	person_profile	Well Health Springfield	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438172082_1181353219890646_1556277804796039333_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=omyU-L_Yna4Q7kNvgFfrbV7&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfDqJc_RxdXFj7S6e6S1surKerBY4XiRA28UxWzr556WcQ&oe=6641C582	3	Well Health & Chiropractic Springfield	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,376	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778351}'	Yes	2024-05-08 18:37	active	760	3624872404440146	Continue reading,👉opening the app will jump to the book	“Sorry, we are over, she's pregnant with my baby," he apologized. “But I'm also carrying your baby!” I said through tears....<br /> ------<br /> #Chapter 1: Release Day<br /> <br /> The day of my release has finally come, but it's not the reason I've been waiting for so long. Today is the day my boyfriend Charles will finally propose to me.<br /> <br /> My cellmate Trina hugged me tightly. "We don't want you to leave. If you go, who will help us with wounds and illnesses? That idiot who only engages in harassment but goes by the name of a doctor?"<br /> <br /> I don't want my release day to be so sad. I hugged Trina and said, "Cheer up. You know how long I've been counting down to today. Aren't you happy for me?"<br /> <br /> Before going to prison, I had a bright future as a surgeon, and Charles was a rising star in politics. We were a perfect match.<br /> <br /> When a political opponent planted drugs in his home, I stepped forward to take full responsibility for it. Even though I lost my medical license, I ensured my loved one's future. He promised me that the day I got out of prison would be the day he proposed to me.<br /> <br /> Trina shakes back her long braids. "I said, do you really think this Charles dude is going to show up for you, after all these years? He's never once come to visit you." I bristle at her doubtful tone.<br /> <br /> While I entrusted my life to Charles, other prisoners had their doubts, and I won't judge them. After all, many inmates haven't found their true love yet. They don't understand the meaning of childhood sweethearts, family, and commitment.<br /> <br /> "Of course," I say. "Charles is a great guy. He sends me a letter every week. He hasn't visited me because his status is sensitive. I went to jail, Trina, and it was not an honorable thing to do. And my dad wouldn't lie to me, either. I'm finally going to get my life back, Trina."<br /> <br /> I'm sure he will. My father has brought so many messages from Charles over the years. His weekly visits remind me that I did the right thing, taking the fall for Charles. Everything is going to work itself out soon; Charles and I will be married, my life will be back on track, and I can finally put the last three years behind me.<br /> <br /> "Okay, Nicki," Trina sighs, turning back to her letter. "Honestly, it kind of sounds like you're perfect for each other."<br /> <br /> **<br /> <br /> After a final round of hugs and a few promises to write – which I absolutely intend to keep – I'm ready to go.<br /> <br /> It's weird, leaving. I clutch my little bag of personal effects, squeezing my engagement ring in my fist like a lifeline. It feels cold against my skin.<br /> <br /> I look behind me one final time before taking a deep breath and stepping into the lobby, ready to embrace freedom at last.<br /> <br /> No one is there.<br /> <br /> I look around again, even going to the door to peer out into the parking lot. It's empty. The dingy, plastic seats of the lobby are empty. Everything is empty.<br /> <br /> Uneasy, I ask the guard on duty if they'd informed my family of my release. The guard frowns, checks a computer, and tells me that they contacted my family twice over the past month. <br /> <br /> My heart sank, but I believe it's just a misunderstanding. Charles and my family wouldn't abandon me. They must have simply gotten the timing wrong.<br /> <br /> A bus journey later, which swallows up the bulk of my money, I'm wandering along Times Square. Everything feels so big, it's overwhelming. All these people, going wherever they want. So many people, so many crowds, just so much.<br /> <br /> They don't know how lucky they have it, is my first thought. My second thought is that I don't know how I was ever used to this much open space and this many random people pressing in around me. I'm not sure that I like it anymore; it makes me feel like screaming.<br /> <br /> I pass a bridal shop and pause to look at all of the gorgeous dresses. I never got to the dress-buying stage. I wonder who I can even ask to go with me, now that the wedding will be back on, besides my stepmom and stepsister. I'm not sure I have any friends left.<br /> <br /> My reflection catches my eye, and I wince. I look rough. My dark hair is dull and lank from years of split ends and cheap soap. My skin is flaky, and my eyebrows have overgrown like a wild thornbush.<br /> <br /> Honestly, maybe it's good that nobody came to pick me up. I should probably have a spa weekend before I see Charles again. I want him to be overcome with longing, not grossed out by my unibrow.<br /> <br /> A flashing screen from the next shop redirects my attention, and I move to take a closer look. Wow, the Alpha's daughter is getting married!<br /> <br /> The Alpha is the leader of the werewolf community, and he has a few children jostling for the position of heir. Werewolf culture has always been fascinating to me; in fact, it's one reason that I specialized in werewolf anatomy in medical school.<br /> <br /> The camera pans across the Alpha's family, toasting the new bride. One catches my eye – the Alpha's son? Marcus. I've seen him before. I treated a whole pack of wolf soldiers when they came back from the front, and he was there.<br /> <br /> Why was the Alpha's son at a regular hospital, not some private fancy one? But he was there, with his men, comforting them and bolstering their spirits. Insisting that he be seen last, as he was the least injured, kissing my hand when I prioritized his badly-injured soldiers over others waiting.<br /> <br /> Marcus looks almost as handsome on TV as he did in person. Black hair, eyes the color of a Caribbean sea. Sun-kissed skin, smooth and marless except for the faded scar across his cheek. He's surprisingly trim for a werewolf; he wears a pearl-gray suit that accentuates his narrow hips, long legs, firm shoulders.<br /> <br /> I stitched up that scar myself, and he was so patient and kind while I did. He didn't flinch at my needle, instead chatting with me quietly, asking questions about how I got into studying werewolf anatomy and complimenting my quick work.<br /> <br /> I wonder if he –<br /> <br /> All thoughts of Marcus are abruptly blanked out of my mind as the camera moves to the bride's beaming soon-to-be husband. <br /> <br /> My legs wobble, my brain spins. I stumble backward, hardly registering the blare of a car horn behind me as I trip over the curb and into the street.<br /> <br /> Oh, my god.<br /> <br /> It's Charles. <br /> <br /> #Chapter 2: A Family Reunion <br /> <br /> The next bus only gets me within three miles of home. I want to get there faster, but my phone is dead after trying to call Charles multiple times. My calls wouldn't go through, and I have a sick feeling in my gut that my number has been blocked.<br /> <br /> The air is chilly, and I hug my inadequate coat closer to my body. Frozen slush sticks to my shoes. By the time I turn the corner and see our big, white house sitting squarely in the middle of the block, I'm freezing. <br /> <br /> I reluctantly go up the front steps, unsure of what I'll find when I get inside. Should I knock? It feels foolish to knock at my own front door, but I don't even have a key anymore.<br /> <br /> Turns out, I don't have to worry. The door flings open before I can even reach for the doorbell, and my stepbrother Brodie stands in front of me with a smug grin on his face.<br /> <br /> "Woohoo!" he shouts. "Mom! Paul! The convict returns to darken our doorstep!"<br /> <br /> Becki's blonde head pokes out from another doorway behind him. "Oh, my god," my stepsister says in disgust. "You look like shit, Nicole. Gross. Prison just drips off of you, not that I'm surprised. We're going to have to wash anything you touch."<br /> <br /> I'm stunned. I've never been super close to Becki or Brodie, it's true, but they've never been outright cruel like this. <br /> <br /> "What's going on?" I ask. "Why didn't anyone pick me up at the prison?"<br /> <br /> Becki snorts. "Don't blame me. I can't believe you even have the nerve to show your face here again, after what you did. Our family is in disgrace because of you."<br /> <br /> I'm baffled. Everyone here knows I didn't commit any crimes – they are the ones who convinced me to take the fall for Charles in the first place, after all. <br /> <br /> I open my mouth to remind Becki of this, but my father appears in the hallway before I can get a word out. I look at him hopefully, waiting for a defense, but he just looks grim. He waves me inside before turning around and walking into the dining room.<br /> <br /> I follow. Darlene is sitting at the elegantly polished table, sipping tea from my mother's antique china set. I grit my teeth.<br /> <br /> "Nicole," she says calmly, glancing at me. She's head-to-toe in Armani, impeccable and decked out with six pounds of makeup and more jewelry than would be necessary for a dinner at the White House, never mind just sitting around drinking tea in her own home.<br /> <br /> "Darlene," I say.<br /> <br /> "Welcome back, dear." Darlene reaches for the teapot, refilling her cup with a spindly, manicured claw. She stirs a spoonful of sugar into her tea and lifts it to her mouth, a red gash in her overly-powdered face.<br /> <br /> "Welcome?" I say. "I don't understand. Why didn't anyone come pick me up today?"<br /> <br /> "Nicole, please," Darlene says. "I don't have the time for your hysterics."<br /> <br /> Confused, I turn to my father, who is standing in the doorway staring at a spot over my head.<br /> <br /> "Dad," I say. "I can't get a hold of Charles. I called like, thirty times, but I think he's blocked my number. And I saw on TV that he's marrying the Alpha's daughter? What's going on?"<br /> <br /> Becki shrieks with laughter somewhere behind me. "Oh, my god, Nicole. You really are even stupider than you look. Did you seriously think you could still marry Charles after your little stint in prison? He's the financial officer of the Alpha's pack now; he can't be seen with a freaking ex-con."<br /> <br /> Brodie hoots as well. "You are so gullible, Nicole," he says, wiping tears from his eyes. "Of course Charles blocked your number, you moron. We'd have blocked your number and changed the locks if we didn't have to worry about doing damage control to clean up your mess."<br /> <br /> "My mess?" I ask, bewildered and hurt. "Dad, you know the real reason I was in prison. Is the Robinson family really going to just dump and forget me like this? Don't you have anything to say?"<br /> <br /> Darlene cuts in, her voice glittering and sharp as the edge of a diamond. "Nicole, please, I told you to quit the hysterics. No one asked you to do this; it was entirely your choice. You don't get to play the victim now that the consequences have come home to roost."<br /> <br /> "You've embarrassed all of us, Nicole," Becki chimes in, crossing her arms. "You've disgraced this entire family. I don't know what other reaction you'd expect."<br /> <br /> I stare at the four of them in disbelief. I think back to that awful day, the day that Charles's mom called Dad in a panic, sobbing about the unexpected police warrant and the drugs, the words "enough to make a case for criminal intent to distribute" swirling in the heavy air.<br /> <br /> I think about Dad and Darlene begging me to take the fall, to not let Charles's career be ruined. I think about Becki, shouting, "My god, Nicole, he's going to marry you either way. Who cares if you go to prison? Are you going to support him or not?"<br /> <br /> "You and Charles grew up together," Dad had said. "You know he'll stand by you. Now, are you going to do the right thing or not?"<br /> <br /> Now, I stand in my dining room, feeling frozen to the core. Dad is still staring at the ceiling, silent. Darlene is prim, with a glittering malice in her eyes. Becki smirks. Brodie grins like a predator. <br /> <br /> They know; they have to know what they're doing. I don't understand any of this.<br /> <br /> "Will someone at least help me get in contact with Charles, so I can have some closure around all this?" I ask. My voice sounds like it belongs to someone else. "I need to at least hear some of this from him. I should–I need to at least return the ring? Maybe I could go to his wedding, just to–"<br /> <br /> Dad finally speaks up for the first time. "Nicole, if you truly love Charles, you will leave him alone to get on with his life. He's doing very well. He doesn't need your – this – mess coming back to haunt him, much less at his own wedding."<br /> <br /> Becki says it more bluntly. "He's not going to talk to you, Nicole. Forget it."<br /> <br /> Darlene finishes her tea, ringing a bell for the maid to come clear the dishes. Her voice is suddenly businesslike.<br /> <br /> "Now, here's what's going to happen. Nicole, you are going to find a job, any job, and reintegrate yourself into society to minimize the humiliation you've caused this family as much as you can. And I won't hear any more moaning and mooning about Charles. You've made your choices, and now you can live with them."<br /> <br /> Numb, I turn and leave the dining room, going down to my little basement room. I shut the door and collapse onto my old bed, the sheets smelling stale and musty, like they haven't been changed in years. I guess they probably haven't been.<br /> <br /> I've never felt so alone in my life.<br /> <br /> That night, watching the news on my phone, I see Marcus again. He talks about charity work and the joy of giving back to one's community. Heart aching, I shut off my phone. Pretty words, but everybody has pretty words when they're cheap and easy.<br /> <br /> How can I ever trust anyone again?<br /> <br /> I hold the cover letter I wrote and wait for the possible turn of events tomorrow.<br /> <br /> -------<br /> Open the app and continue reading the rest of the story . 👉(It will automatically jump to the book when you open the app)	LEARN_MORE	https://www.syuenovel.com/dreame/adlanding/3/84774	238016296054292	Novel story	https://facebook.com/61556330003174	32	1	1,559,205,697,978,730	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	Novel story	120207658039190423	syuenovel.com	NONE	image	A wonderland for all kinds of book lovers; Embrace a whole new world of gripping stories.	https://www.syuenovel.com/dreame/adlanding/3/8477440/3123/fb97605/202458094700302?utm_source=facebook_ads&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&af_c_id={{campaign.id}}&af_adset_id={{adset.id}}&af_ad_id={{ad.id}}	2024-05-08 04:52	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440352458_1806746159812343_8846721528112084647_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=x3snUOWXH7wQ7kNvgH2JvXw&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfBrwyGOtP2dOSFUQT2up7OutMxG4PCJcd7SXYnNDvVRJA&oe=6641D31E	person_profile	Novel story	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441464309_870589528436006_5161467206725648652_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=aaRs7PI8V-sQ7kNvgEnwsXh&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBAN3vh0c7U7PGt4tcEvPhr8FMOQIgmZbb2iu7OlGC0Xg&oe=6641C63E	3	Novel story	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,777,903	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1777912}'	Yes	2024-05-08 18:30	active	760	1865094590622939	Claim Your Free Bottles This Week ONLY!	🛑Don't let nerve discomfort steal your joy!<br /> <br /> THIS WEEK ONLY, buy one bottle of our top-selling Nerve Renew Supplement and get the second one FREE! Talk about a steal!<br /> <br /> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️<br /> “My feet were burning so bad right under the toes, depriving me of sleep. I now take only one capsule of Nerve Renew, and my life changed for the better. Thank you for this product.” - Helga T. <br /> <br /> Treat your nerves and wallet this holiday season with this incredible deal ➡️ <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnerverenew.com%2Fpages%2Fnerve-renew-story-hook-angles&h=AT0uRv6wG-U8exGADJ1ZVMJyKBryPlN0CfnGrgwrKB9ASFcA3Gn9G4NzcW-wq3_mcA0_SrbHDiFU6uh1uh3wbFfGvnp_UdU19WlAvHdMJT9LThl9XA-FBn2-_Jvo2zZKZHkYfEBq1B_YAw" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://nerverenew.com/pages/nerve-renew-story-hook-angles</a>	SHOP_NOW	https://nerverenew.com/pages/nerve-renew-story-hoo	175537252604114	Nerve Renew	https://facebook.com/NerveHealthGroup	102,139	1	802,097,791,513,624	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Shop now	Nerve Renew	120209291940580303	nerverenew.com	NONE	image	“I ordered nerve renew and before I finished one month’s supply my feet and legs started feeling much better!” -Guy C. NERVE RENEW Trusted By 389,000+ People Worldwide “I ordered nerve renew and before I finished one month’s supply my feet and legs started feeling much better!” -Guy C. B...	https://nerverenew.com/pages/nerve-renew-story-hook-angles	2024-05-02 16:50	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438129112_816384127063388_4382482632882582962_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=M0Fjtx4TwToQ7kNvgEgzBjs&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDWf5iyAR1OIYPBsfnWQrHcOnBqr5pPqAUHUrY-K7viDg&oe=6641C39C	person_profile	Nerve Renew	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/421991820_1870915150022667_7204211927812406981_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=2rUBSzafDecQ7kNvgH1WzzW&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfDRhG7LB5G1R8-OZDNqWpwpYpU7NZiTjob_3FsVe0C4kQ&oe=6641BFEE	3	Nerve Renew	2024-05-03 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,765	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1777927}'	No	2024-05-08 18:42	active	760	787149273353028	Bye Bye Nerve Discomfort - 52% OFF 3 Month Supply [Limited Time]!	Tired of nerve discomfort and weakness? 😫 <br /> <br /> Re-order Nerve Renew today to experience targeted relief and enjoy healthier nerve function! And now, for a limited time, take advantage of the special offer below to get 3 bottles for just $99 (reg. $207)!<br /> <br /> But hurry, supplies are limited! Claim your discounted Nerve Renew bundle & save 52% OFF the reg price now 👉 <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnerverenew.com%2Fpages%2Flanders-nr3pk-99&h=AT2TEGVgxyY5knO5r94jKB5OJIX_ye93sQBNe9zjp0f2DnX_DCA8pcDO-Z-_Z9PoUGnDr5ID6RSiQ4-FSx53Lm0IwtyoITJoJ6SjecjaswVEFKYF9p5PnVfi-nGUPoPYm02AvqyM8iQWHA" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://nerverenew.com/pages/landers-nr3pk-99</a>	LEARN_MORE	https://nerverenew.com/pages/landers-nr3pk-99	175537252604114	Nerve Renew	https://facebook.com/NerveHealthGroup	102,139	1	787,718,279,899,562	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	Nerve Renew	120208706888390303	nerverenew.com	NONE	video		https://nerverenew.com/pages/landers-nr3pk-99	2024-04-16 10:10	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/435953647_1457219365149858_5840292058584477256_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=6oMX1Af4t5IQ7kNvgGpVp2e&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfCsdDPDel9374nObN-EBsCBiFu6qKk0k37tSnfOziuC1w&oe=6641DDE4	person_profile	Nerve Renew	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/435899158_361062843008368_735393852562688317_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=VdUbP69JatAQ7kNvgH7zi6c&_nc_oc=AdiCFTdNyg00L5yKwCv4UUmy35r35lX2Sfdc6fSzCRS6H-2aYihK-ZjO_ySGZ-CPZWc&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfALDvM8dOH2tgClfE6Ny4NaE9YfW3TF2JGRnNMk3EfoxA&oe=6641D266	3	Nerve Renew	2024-04-16 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,220	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778130}'	No	2024-05-08 18:36	active	760	959411668974906	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	I hear deep grunts and moans on the other side of the room.<br /> I open the door and the sight before me sends chills to my spine.<br /> My own husband, balls deep in my best friend Chrissy.<br /> "Fine, if that's what you want, so be it. I just hope it was worth destroying our marriage. I'll get my clothes in the morning."<br /> I turned around to leave, not looking back. <br /> ————————<br /> Flashback :<br /> I drove back home in a hurry to make dinner for me and Scott. Today was our second year anniversary, and I can't believe I get to spend the rest of my life with my high school sweetheart, Scott. Scott was the captain of the football team, earning the attention of most girls in our school, not to mention being adored by our teachers. I was the girl who was considered the wallflower, shy and awkward. I never played any sports cause, I was never interested honestly. I was however, an A student, always aced my exams, and made sure to stay out of trouble. Until one day me and Scott partnered up on a history project, and sure enough, we had chemistry and decided to try it out. We decided to go to the same college, with me majoring in Business Management, and him majoring in Engineering.<br /> He proposed on my 19th birthday, of course I was nervous. But why not, I said Yes. Our parents were extremely shocked to say the least. But they were supportive of our decision, and we got married 8 months later. We were happy, at least I thought we were.<br /> End of Flashback.<br /> **<br /> Do you ever get that feeling when you feel like everything you have worked hard for comes crumbling down?<br /> Yup, me too.<br /> I never thought I would ever find myself in this situation but, here we are. We're currently in my lawyer's office finalising our divorce.<br /> 22 years old, and a divorcee. Now this is funny.<br /> "Alright, Mrs Cruise, my client Mr Cruise is willing to give you $500 000 as part of the divorce settlement, as well as leaving the house to you. What do you say?" Said his lawyer, Mr Smith.<br /> " I don't want anything that belongs to him, all I'll take is my clothes and my car."<br /> He's sick in the head if he thinks I'll take any of his flithy money.<br /> " Are you sure? Half a million is a lot to start over Mrs - "<br /> "- I'm sure. I'll be fine. And it's Ms Campbell."<br /> Scott looked at me with an unreadable expression. As if he expected me to accept the settlement.<br /> Ha. Suck on that Cheater.<br /> "Alright then...Ms Campbell. All that's left for you to do is to sign on the dotted line on the first, third, and fourth page."<br /> Mr Smith passed over the papers to me.<br /> I dried down my sweaty hands on my skirt and took the pen that was handed to me. With a shaky breath, I signed on the dotted line. It was happening. I am officially a divorced woman. It's over.<br /> But I couldn't help but feel hurt, hurt that the man who was supposed to love me for all eternity would betray me. With MY BEST FRIEND?!?! Bimbo never saw this coming, not by a long shot, that's for sure.<br /> I'm standing outside the courtyard when in my peripheral vision, Scott comes into view.<br /> "So....This is it huh?" Scott drawls out.<br /> "This is. I hope you're happy now. I hope she treats you much better than I could've." I look in the opposite direction to wipe the tears running down my face.<br /> "I'm sad that it had to come to this. I'm sorry that I wasn't faithful to you, and I hope we can move forward on a good note " he said with a faint smile on his lips.<br /> I couldn't take it anymore, so I ignored his last comment and rushed to my car.<br /> As soon as I put on my seatbelt, I could not stop the tears falling down like a waterfall. I loved him, and I still do. But no more. I'm done crying over him who broke my heart. No more Mr Nice Guy.<br /> I drove home with a promise to make sure I come out bigger and better.<br /> "Baby, I'm home!!!" No answer.<br /> That's strange, I've never had to call him more than once before.<br /> "Scott, are you there babe??"<br /> Hmm, weird. His car is in the driveway. Where could he be? Oh well, maybe he's busy with work.<br /> I put the groceries down on the kitchen counter, and quickly made my way upstairs. <br /> As I start my way upstairs, I come across his dress shirt and red stilettos. I feel my heart beat faster with every step I took. He couldn't possibly be with another woman, right?? He promised he would never ever betray me.<br /> Gulping down my nerves, I proceed to the top of the stairs, where I see even more clothes sprawled messily on the first floor. I start feeling light headed and grab on to the banister for support. I take a deep breath, and reach our bedroom door.<br /> I hear deep grunts and moans on the other side of the room. it's now or never. <br /> I open the door and the sight before me sends chills to my spine.<br /> My own husband, balls deep in my best friend Chrissy.<br /> Chrissy Mathews, has....well, had been my friend ever since we were 10 years old. We've told each other all our deepest darkest secrets and always been there for one another. <br /> It was always evident that she was secretly jealous of me, making snide remarks about me on the low, I mean sure, I look very attractive if I do say so myself, but I never took it seriously because she was my best friend.<br /> She never approved of me and Scott's relationship, she always said I deserved better, and we were not compatible for one another. I didn't know why until I found out that she wanted him for herself. Just my luck huh?<br /> "WHAT THE IS GOING ON HERE?!?!" I.Was.Livid. And I didn't give a flying that I was screaming like a madman.<br /> He turned his head around so fast I thought it would snap at that very moment.<br /> "Zara baby... uhh....Baby, please, it's not what you think it is. Please Zara." He pleaded with those beautiful chocolate coloured eyes that once made me turn to jelly.<br /> "Then what is it Scott?! Please make me understand how you're sleeping my best friend?!"<br /> I turned to my best friend. The bimbo who promised to be by my side forever.<br /> "And YOU!!! You're such a bimbo Chrissy, I don't understand how you would do this to me!!"<br /> She looked pleased with herself. Almost like she planned on getting caught. The nerve.<br /> "Zara please, this is not how I wanted this to go down but... I'm sorry you had to find out like this. We can't change anything now." He said, with a blank look on his face.<br /> "Wha-<br /> What are you talking about Scott? We were supposed to be happy Baby, just me and you, living our best lives together, why are you doing this to me?"<br /> "I just can't live this double life anymore Zara, I love Chrissy. I'm in love with her and -"<br /> "No No No No No!!!!!! How are you saying this to me?? You married ME!!!! YOU said for better, for worse till DEATH do US part Scott, surely you don't mean that!!!"<br /> Scott was losing patience fast. " Zara, I cannot ignore the feelings I have for Her" he said, gesturing to Chrissy, who was clearly enjoying the scene unfolding before her.<br /> "We haven't been spending enough time together, I'm always working and you're busy with starting your business. We hardly ever have time for one another. She was always there to lift my mood. She brought back the spark that I thought had disappeared forever. I'm sorry but.....it's over."<br /> My walls were breaking down fast. I'm not about to let them see me weak. I took a deep breath closing my eyes.<br /> "Fine, if that's what you want, so be it. I just hope it was worth destroying our marriage. I'll get my clothes in the morning."<br /> I turned around to leave, not looking back. A part of me wanted him to run after me and tell me he didn't mean all that he said to me. But he didn't. He never did. I grabbed my car keys and left.<br /> t's been 2 years since my divorce, and I am doing so much better than I thought. Scott broke me in ways that I didn't believe were possible. I didn't take his money because I didn't want anything to do with him, or anything that would remind me of him.<br /> I heard through the grapevine that him and Chrissy got engaged a year ago, and to say I was broken would be an understatement. Deep down I always hoped he'd come back to me, and tell me he was foolish to ever leave me, and we would fix things and live out the rest of our days together.<br /> After the divorce I never bothered on trying to date again, it just never felt right.<br /> I was brought out of my daydream by Alex snapping his fingers in my face.<br /> snap snap snap snap*<br /> "Hey!!!! Earth to Zara.... You okay babe?"<br /> "Huh....yeah, yeah. Just thinking is all." He looked at me with a 'are you kidding right now' look.<br /> He took a deep sigh. " Sweetie, he's gone. You have to accept that he's moved on with that hag, and you have to move on too."<br /> I pulled the ends of my long curly hair frustratedly<br /> " I know, I know. You're right. It's his loss and he's not my problem anymore" I said trying to put on a strong face.<br /> " Let's go out tonight babe. It's a Friday , and you haven't been out the house in a million years!!!"<br /> I was apprehensive on going. Clubs aren't even my thing. I don't even drink that much. But then again, I'm single, and I need to let off some steam from the past week.<br /> "let's go to a club!!!!" I said with enthusiasm.<br /> He looked at me and displayed his million dollar smile. "That's my girl!!!! I'll fetch you at uhm.....7?"<br /> "Works for me. Thanks again Alex, for being here for me and helping me move on from that " I told him with a grateful smile on my face.<br /> He waved me off, rolling his eyes with a smirk<br /> " Ugh, it's fine sweetie, he doesn't deserve you, and if anything, you missed a man with that piece of trash. Think of it like this: this is basically your second chance at actually having something real with a person who'll actually put you first. You'll see."<br /> I arrived at my house at 5pm, giving me 2 hours to get ready before Alex comes over.<br /> I came to and the water had turned cold. With a deep sigh I quickly washed up and wrapped myself in a big, fluffy white towel and glanced at the clock.<br /> " one hour left " I thought.<br /> Wiping off the steam on my mirror, I inspected my face and smiled to myself. I ran my hands through my long black, curly hair, and my fair caramel skin.<br /> After my divorce I would have never thought I would be able to move on from Scott. He was my everything, first love, first relationship, and my world seemed to revolve around him. I felt....lost, without him. Tall, Dark, Handsome, Loving. I really thought I had it all.<br /> Leaving my bathroom, I took off my towel and left it on my chair, and went into my walk-in closet to find something to wear.<br /> "since it's a club I have to find something modest, since I'm not much of a clubber"<br /> I chose a orange one shoulder mini-dress that shows my mid-section , paired with orange webbed heels.<br /> I walked over to my vanity and applied a smokey eye and some blush with some lip gloss, with my hair in a high ponytail.<br /> As promised, Alex pulled up and sent a text telling me he was outside.<br /> Doing one final look over in my full length mirror, I walked out of the house, not forgetting to lock and walked down my driveway.<br /> "Girl, you look suh-moking hot sweets!!!" Alex said with a bright smile.<br /> "Aw, thank you. I try." I responded with a laugh.<br /> "Now, are we getting drunk or what?!?!"You know that feeling whereby you have second thoughts on doing, but then it's too late to turn back? Yup, me too.<br /> Sweaty, icky, drunk, swaying bodies surrounding us with the faint smell of spirit and somehwhat intercourse in the air. Thank God this place had air conditioning, otherwise I would have gotten sick.<br /> We're blinded by red, blue and green streak lights from the high ceilings . This is actually a really upscale place if I do say so myself.<br /> We FIGHT our way through the swarms of drunk people and find our way to our table where our friends are already seated.<br /> "ZARA WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?! WE THOUGHT YOU'D DIED IN THAT MASSIVE HOUSE OF YOURS!!!!" , my childhood friend Sammie said to me.<br /> "Seriously though Alex, how did you get this bimbo out of the house?" Nicole adding dramatically.<br /> "Guys please!! I can still have Fun, alright? With that being said....WHO WANTS DRINKS???"<br /> My friends let out screams of approval and gave me their drink orders. I walked over to the bartender on the other side of the floor and gave him our orders, leaving him to do his work. I think back to what Alex said and actually agree that it's not my fault my marriage didn't work out. And I should stop crucifying myself for waste I couldn't control. Maybe there is someone else for me out there, that will truly love me, just...maybe.<br /> For some reason, I felt chills in the back of my spine. As if someone is watching me. I turned around to see no one in particular. Shrugging my shoulders I looked forward and slightly moved my body to the music playing in the background.<br /> The bartender gave me my drinks and I walked back to my table.<br /> { "Who's that girl, the one in the orange dress?"}<br /> { " I dunno, I've never seen her here before. Must be a first timer." }<br /> The mysterious man went back to sipping on his whisky, his eyes still on the beautiful girl.<br /> "Ugh, finally Zara!! We thought you got lost on your way back" said Nicole. "Oh, and did you see how the hawwwwt, guy sitting in the back was looking at you?!?!"<br /> A frown appeared between my eyebrows, "Who, I didn't see anyone at all."<br /> "Look behind you."<br /> I looked behind me and my breath hitched.<br /> Oh. My. Gosh.<br /> Grey eyes, slight stubble along his chiselled jaw, with a tabacco in between his plump, cherry coloured lips, 3 piece black and grey suit, and a watch that probably costs more than my entire life. <br /> Staring Right. At. Me.<br /> He noticed I was looking at him and showcased his million dollar smile. What was this man doing to me?<br /> I returned the smile, just showing politeness, and turned back to the table to see the 3 musketeers looking right at me with wide smiles, ready to pop any minute now.<br /> "The are you looking at, he's just being polite." I felt slightly uncomfortable under his and their gaze. Like I was under a microscope.<br /> "Uhm...what was that Zara? He clearly likes you and all you're gonna offer him is a smile and a wave? What's wrong with you?!?!"<br /> "Hey Hey Hey!!! Not everyone is a horndog like you Taylor, chill out. And besides....you don't chase the man, the man has to chase you."<br /> We took our conversation to the dance floor and started swaying our bodies to the music. The DJ sure does know how to make the party happen, kudos to him.<br /> I drank more and lost myself in the music, until I felt hands hold onto my waist firmly. <br /> Grey eyes was staring down on me. I didn't realise how tall he was since he was sitting down.<br /> He's about 6'7 while I'm a cool 5'7.<br /> "Hey."<br /> I had to tilt my head in order to see him. He looks so much hotter in person.<br /> I took a deep breath trying to not stutter.<br /> "Uh..Hi." <br /> He leaned down to my ear.<br /> "What's a beautiful lady like you doing alone in a place like this?"<br /> His minty breath mixed with whiskey and cigarettes got me real hot and heavy.<br /> "I didn't come here alone. I actually came here with my 4 friends. I'm surprised you didn't see me sitting with them."<br /> He completely ignored my response and looked at me with an indescribable expression.<br /> "Let me take you home. I insist."<br /> "No thank you, I don't want to worry my friends."<br /> "I don't think they'll mind, besides, they're too occupied with ....𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬." He gestured behind me where Taylor was grinding on a random guy, while the other 3 where no where to be seen.<br /> I pondered over it for a while. Leaving with a complete stranger was a completely good idea, no matter how hot, dreamy he may be. But then again....what do I have to lose?<br /> "Let's go." I said feeling confident.<br /> He replied with a lopsided grin and took my hand, leading me to the parking lot, he opened my door for me and I thanked him while getting in.<br /> He jogged over to the driver's side and got in.<br /> Soon enough we were racing down the highway going further and further away from the busy night life.<br /> "Nice car you got." I tried to start a conversation.<br /> "Thanks. Where do you live?" I quickly gave him the coordinates and he continued along the road to my house. I actually took this time to actually look at this mystery man. He's actually more handsome in person, with tattoos peeking out of the collar and sleeves of his white dress shirt.<br /> "Don't you know it's rude to stare, Sweetheart?" With a smile on his face, still focusing on the road.<br /> "Sorry, I didn't realize I was staring that long." I muttered embarrassed. Thank God for my skin tone otherwise he would've noticed the slight blush on my cheeks.<br /> "Ahh, so you 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 staring at me?" His smile getting wider by each word he said.<br /> "I can't help it, I like what I see." Shrugging my shoulders and looking out my window, I realised we had already arrived.<br /> "Thanks again...you know....for not trying to kill me or anything -"<br /> "-wait. I didn't get your name" He turned fully to look at me, awaiting my answer.<br /> "Zara. Zara Campbell. And...you are?"<br /> "Mason Anderson. At your service, Madam." He said with a British accent.<br /> We shared a laugh and exchanged numbers, with him not letting me leave his car until he made sure I gave him the right number.<br /> "I'll give you a call sometime, yeah?"<br /> My heart fluttered at his words.<br /> ".....ERM, sure."<br /> He waited until I got in the house before driving off.<br /> I made a Greek salad to eat before changing into my red nightie and drifting off to sleep.<br /> Maybe I do have a chance to be happy, after all.	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1,778,750	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778773}'	Yes	2024-05-08 18:42	active	760	388051507028559	Click to continue watching👉👉👉	Married to a billionaire CEO in a flash marriage. Rumor has it that he is arrogant and domineering, not a womanizer, but he dotes on her to the core~	WATCH_MORE	http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.e	266667823197292	Eashort software	https://facebook.com/61557894114617	2	1	2,524,715,174,382,193	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Watch more	Eashort software	120211462079110667	play.google.com	NONE	video		http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.esbook.dk	2024-05-08 03:38	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441287149_420701300898398_2839680612956920195_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=bmK7SQBNObEQ7kNvgF9quFp&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfCnfHf0Xu6jum7MDI1GMMM-u4Wm4cZyl2Bd9Pe3d9FzKQ&oe=6641EA85	person_profile	Eashort software	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/442491729_1539611566609542_3512739158145533055_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=t7kqmV3mHdkQ7kNvgFRZfgm&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfA-rBLX9NEBBy9ZB5lUifIzwg4QQ-4-fMHuAHosxrjLAA&oe=6641CD9B	3	Eashort software	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,716	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778474}'	No	2024-05-08 18:42	active	760	1348804882459231		Like me, Jen was given a diagnosis that didn't sound great! <br /> <br /> Using the wait time for referrals, consults and all that fun stuff we discovered there was a bunch of movements that started to help and improve our situation. <br /> <br /> Now Jen's a mega mum with sciatic pain a thing of the past despite here active day to day life!<br /> <br /> Check out how The Simplistic Mobility Method worked for her and others here;<br /> <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftommorrison.uk%2Fsimplistic-mobility-method-reviews&h=AT0lEMuyGQupKKHMMaJuetLXXBrI1YC6XgNJg89FbdjWfkXkmZKT_ndhZqMiwxpRmbuUrx2KYEiydszV848xAIMBTIgZRP6wtIAcgWV6XpJUUJ6RhOkyRgGJKTnQAbtYXyJJZSJBue4cwQ" rel="nofollow noreferrer" target="_blank" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy">https://tommorrison.uk/simplistic-mobility-method-reviews</a>			232189447149118	Tom Morrison	https://facebook.com/MovementandMotion	286,207	1	1,357,130,531,583,650	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1		Tom Morrison	6339283929788		NONE	image			2023-05-15 05:03	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/347225214_952662692528567_1356831249458430676_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=GUPi6dSlDJkQ7kNvgGRMFhr&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDOKlqq6KM-fTRos6y8oA8Ta_QtL3cXUXt9gQ-txk51mw&oe=6641D977	person_profile	Tom Morrison \| The Simplistic Mobility Method	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/347079874_783596416424788_4456185752409827536_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=6yKx0Gb0b6wQ7kNvgFX8t2z&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBgT93M9hdcN5wO-RGGxmUImnXZtSOwSEb5LAHgXeuoyw&oe=6641C60F	3	Tom Morrison	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
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1,778,977	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778971}'	No	2024-05-08 18:44	active	760	1470538800546407		She was full of anticipation to introduce him to her grandmother, but she bumped into him hugging his first love...<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 /> &5&	INSTALL_MOBILE_APP	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-FB_CONTACT-E	240971372424182	Lovestory-ljw	https://facebook.com/61555864238939	6,855	2	305,108,222,646,576	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	Install now	Lovestory-ljw	120209591536800687	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	video		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-FB_CONTACT-ENJ57_8-Core1.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=223013&accid=1600823597386213	2024-05-06 23:07	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441970247_1173162037445015_2256741726690348301_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=B5DbFXJDBS4Q7kNvgHQDuHx&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfAXVvQEi3EYoeHJjhQ73LC1YRAapRUHf25LBWjbv74aSA&oe=6641D893	person_profile	Lovestory-ljw	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/442413408_836001191901273_7513936150164047609_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=cKvaBFw4vmYQ7kNvgFHqqTY&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBZQWDO8oxrKDv3RBdD5e_QXXdr846VDo0CV01_LtNL8A&oe=6641DDCA	3	Lovestory-ljw	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,959	/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	2024-05-08 18:44	active	760	956548009479831	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	106206892171576	Love Story City	https://facebook.com/100083614308933	17,592	2	1,075,629,020,205,797	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	Learn more	Love Story City	120206676457960147	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	video		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-FB_CONTACT-ENJ57_9-C2-Core2.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=961225&accid=412379061191874&jump=1	2024-05-07 01:43	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439437191_393424643679475_5345648413942158378_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=IWeOQjIAj3UQ7kNvgELTpV6&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDQnBmOWA_dOrD8Rb6vjm-zPaEy2exCjjoIHlI2cRvNvA&oe=6641E25F	person_profile	ReadNow	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440409816_1182552359856086_4522816957258483582_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=IhotV6wQ08sQ7kNvgGq1xeW&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfAtl7KN-_RmDBEub8uXLmFEMZsnNN5I2TZawd0sE8-g4g&oe=6641F147	3	Love Story City	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,937	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778959}'	Yes	2024-05-08 18:44	active	760	745423491096684	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	106206892171576	Love Story City	https://facebook.com/100083614308933	17,592	3	1,006,247,554,234,326	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	Learn more	Love Story City	120206717904110147	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	image		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-FB_CONTACT-ENJ57_9-C2-Core2.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=961225&accid=412379061191874&jump=1	2024-05-07 22:05	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438240748_1089127355719770_832368311444072962_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=qadyWZuxOEAQ7kNvgH0Dtie&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfDzXsAhocfgCg5BaiSVn6L_u0rVUgGm37OVPRMx4DbhTQ&oe=6641E87D	person_profile	ReadNow	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438230925_1199128031458934_1762728614826377320_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=1MOF0b45yCEQ7kNvgEtexm9&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfDO-ZIOio5-_Okm0rLzwqTzfrcc4phGeobN9HIrQ05PxQ&oe=6641C1F8	3	Love Story City	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,254	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778130}'	No	2024-05-08 18:36	active	760	994226055371870	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	I hear deep grunts and moans on the other side of the room.<br /> I open the door and the sight before me sends chills to my spine.<br /> My own husband, balls deep in my best friend Chrissy.<br /> "Fine, if that's what you want, so be it. I just hope it was worth destroying our marriage. I'll get my clothes in the morning."<br /> I turned around to leave, not looking back. <br /> ————————<br /> Flashback :<br /> I drove back home in a hurry to make dinner for me and Scott. Today was our second year anniversary, and I can't believe I get to spend the rest of my life with my high school sweetheart, Scott. Scott was the captain of the football team, earning the attention of most girls in our school, not to mention being adored by our teachers. I was the girl who was considered the wallflower, shy and awkward. I never played any sports cause, I was never interested honestly. I was however, an A student, always aced my exams, and made sure to stay out of trouble. Until one day me and Scott partnered up on a history project, and sure enough, we had chemistry and decided to try it out. We decided to go to the same college, with me majoring in Business Management, and him majoring in Engineering.<br /> He proposed on my 19th birthday, of course I was nervous. But why not, I said Yes. Our parents were extremely shocked to say the least. But they were supportive of our decision, and we got married 8 months later. We were happy, at least I thought we were.<br /> End of Flashback.<br /> **<br /> Do you ever get that feeling when you feel like everything you have worked hard for comes crumbling down?<br /> Yup, me too.<br /> I never thought I would ever find myself in this situation but, here we are. We're currently in my lawyer's office finalising our divorce.<br /> 22 years old, and a divorcee. Now this is funny.<br /> "Alright, Mrs Cruise, my client Mr Cruise is willing to give you $500 000 as part of the divorce settlement, as well as leaving the house to you. What do you say?" Said his lawyer, Mr Smith.<br /> " I don't want anything that belongs to him, all I'll take is my clothes and my car."<br /> He's sick in the head if he thinks I'll take any of his flithy money.<br /> " Are you sure? Half a million is a lot to start over Mrs - "<br /> "- I'm sure. I'll be fine. And it's Ms Campbell."<br /> Scott looked at me with an unreadable expression. As if he expected me to accept the settlement.<br /> Ha. Suck on that Cheater.<br /> "Alright then...Ms Campbell. All that's left for you to do is to sign on the dotted line on the first, third, and fourth page."<br /> Mr Smith passed over the papers to me.<br /> I dried down my sweaty hands on my skirt and took the pen that was handed to me. With a shaky breath, I signed on the dotted line. It was happening. I am officially a divorced woman. It's over.<br /> But I couldn't help but feel hurt, hurt that the man who was supposed to love me for all eternity would betray me. With MY BEST FRIEND?!?! Bimbo never saw this coming, not by a long shot, that's for sure.<br /> I'm standing outside the courtyard when in my peripheral vision, Scott comes into view.<br /> "So....This is it huh?" Scott drawls out.<br /> "This is. I hope you're happy now. I hope she treats you much better than I could've." I look in the opposite direction to wipe the tears running down my face.<br /> "I'm sad that it had to come to this. I'm sorry that I wasn't faithful to you, and I hope we can move forward on a good note " he said with a faint smile on his lips.<br /> I couldn't take it anymore, so I ignored his last comment and rushed to my car.<br /> As soon as I put on my seatbelt, I could not stop the tears falling down like a waterfall. I loved him, and I still do. But no more. I'm done crying over him who broke my heart. No more Mr Nice Guy.<br /> I drove home with a promise to make sure I come out bigger and better.<br /> "Baby, I'm home!!!" No answer.<br /> That's strange, I've never had to call him more than once before.<br /> "Scott, are you there babe??"<br /> Hmm, weird. His car is in the driveway. Where could he be? Oh well, maybe he's busy with work.<br /> I put the groceries down on the kitchen counter, and quickly made my way upstairs. <br /> As I start my way upstairs, I come across his dress shirt and red stilettos. I feel my heart beat faster with every step I took. He couldn't possibly be with another woman, right?? He promised he would never ever betray me.<br /> Gulping down my nerves, I proceed to the top of the stairs, where I see even more clothes sprawled messily on the first floor. I start feeling light headed and grab on to the banister for support. I take a deep breath, and reach our bedroom door.<br /> I hear deep grunts and moans on the other side of the room. it's now or never. <br /> I open the door and the sight before me sends chills to my spine.<br /> My own husband, balls deep in my best friend Chrissy.<br /> Chrissy Mathews, has....well, had been my friend ever since we were 10 years old. We've told each other all our deepest darkest secrets and always been there for one another. <br /> It was always evident that she was secretly jealous of me, making snide remarks about me on the low, I mean sure, I look very attractive if I do say so myself, but I never took it seriously because she was my best friend.<br /> She never approved of me and Scott's relationship, she always said I deserved better, and we were not compatible for one another. I didn't know why until I found out that she wanted him for herself. Just my luck huh?<br /> "WHAT THE IS GOING ON HERE?!?!" I.Was.Livid. And I didn't give a flying that I was screaming like a madman.<br /> He turned his head around so fast I thought it would snap at that very moment.<br /> "Zara baby... uhh....Baby, please, it's not what you think it is. Please Zara." He pleaded with those beautiful chocolate coloured eyes that once made me turn to jelly.<br /> "Then what is it Scott?! Please make me understand how you're sleeping my best friend?!"<br /> I turned to my best friend. The bimbo who promised to be by my side forever.<br /> "And YOU!!! You're such a bimbo Chrissy, I don't understand how you would do this to me!!"<br /> She looked pleased with herself. Almost like she planned on getting caught. The nerve.<br /> "Zara please, this is not how I wanted this to go down but... I'm sorry you had to find out like this. We can't change anything now." He said, with a blank look on his face.<br /> "Wha-<br /> What are you talking about Scott? We were supposed to be happy Baby, just me and you, living our best lives together, why are you doing this to me?"<br /> "I just can't live this double life anymore Zara, I love Chrissy. I'm in love with her and -"<br /> "No No No No No!!!!!! How are you saying this to me?? You married ME!!!! YOU said for better, for worse till DEATH do US part Scott, surely you don't mean that!!!"<br /> Scott was losing patience fast. " Zara, I cannot ignore the feelings I have for Her" he said, gesturing to Chrissy, who was clearly enjoying the scene unfolding before her.<br /> "We haven't been spending enough time together, I'm always working and you're busy with starting your business. We hardly ever have time for one another. She was always there to lift my mood. She brought back the spark that I thought had disappeared forever. I'm sorry but.....it's over."<br /> My walls were breaking down fast. I'm not about to let them see me weak. I took a deep breath closing my eyes.<br /> "Fine, if that's what you want, so be it. I just hope it was worth destroying our marriage. I'll get my clothes in the morning."<br /> I turned around to leave, not looking back. A part of me wanted him to run after me and tell me he didn't mean all that he said to me. But he didn't. He never did. I grabbed my car keys and left.<br /> t's been 2 years since my divorce, and I am doing so much better than I thought. Scott broke me in ways that I didn't believe were possible. I didn't take his money because I didn't want anything to do with him, or anything that would remind me of him.<br /> I heard through the grapevine that him and Chrissy got engaged a year ago, and to say I was broken would be an understatement. Deep down I always hoped he'd come back to me, and tell me he was foolish to ever leave me, and we would fix things and live out the rest of our days together.<br /> After the divorce I never bothered on trying to date again, it just never felt right.<br /> I was brought out of my daydream by Alex snapping his fingers in my face.<br /> snap snap snap snap*<br /> "Hey!!!! Earth to Zara.... You okay babe?"<br /> "Huh....yeah, yeah. Just thinking is all." He looked at me with a 'are you kidding right now' look.<br /> He took a deep sigh. " Sweetie, he's gone. You have to accept that he's moved on with that hag, and you have to move on too."<br /> I pulled the ends of my long curly hair frustratedly<br /> " I know, I know. You're right. It's his loss and he's not my problem anymore" I said trying to put on a strong face.<br /> " Let's go out tonight babe. It's a Friday , and you haven't been out the house in a million years!!!"<br /> I was apprehensive on going. Clubs aren't even my thing. I don't even drink that much. But then again, I'm single, and I need to let off some steam from the past week.<br /> "let's go to a club!!!!" I said with enthusiasm.<br /> He looked at me and displayed his million dollar smile. "That's my girl!!!! I'll fetch you at uhm.....7?"<br /> "Works for me. Thanks again Alex, for being here for me and helping me move on from that " I told him with a grateful smile on my face.<br /> He waved me off, rolling his eyes with a smirk<br /> " Ugh, it's fine sweetie, he doesn't deserve you, and if anything, you missed a man with that piece of trash. Think of it like this: this is basically your second chance at actually having something real with a person who'll actually put you first. You'll see."<br /> I arrived at my house at 5pm, giving me 2 hours to get ready before Alex comes over.<br /> I came to and the water had turned cold. With a deep sigh I quickly washed up and wrapped myself in a big, fluffy white towel and glanced at the clock.<br /> " one hour left " I thought.<br /> Wiping off the steam on my mirror, I inspected my face and smiled to myself. I ran my hands through my long black, curly hair, and my fair caramel skin.<br /> After my divorce I would have never thought I would be able to move on from Scott. He was my everything, first love, first relationship, and my world seemed to revolve around him. I felt....lost, without him. Tall, Dark, Handsome, Loving. I really thought I had it all.<br /> Leaving my bathroom, I took off my towel and left it on my chair, and went into my walk-in closet to find something to wear.<br /> "since it's a club I have to find something modest, since I'm not much of a clubber"<br /> I chose a orange one shoulder mini-dress that shows my mid-section , paired with orange webbed heels.<br /> I walked over to my vanity and applied a smokey eye and some blush with some lip gloss, with my hair in a high ponytail.<br /> As promised, Alex pulled up and sent a text telling me he was outside.<br /> Doing one final look over in my full length mirror, I walked out of the house, not forgetting to lock and walked down my driveway.<br /> "Girl, you look suh-moking hot sweets!!!" Alex said with a bright smile.<br /> "Aw, thank you. I try." I responded with a laugh.<br /> "Now, are we getting drunk or what?!?!"You know that feeling whereby you have second thoughts on doing, but then it's too late to turn back? Yup, me too.<br /> Sweaty, icky, drunk, swaying bodies surrounding us with the faint smell of spirit and somehwhat intercourse in the air. Thank God this place had air conditioning, otherwise I would have gotten sick.<br /> We're blinded by red, blue and green streak lights from the high ceilings . This is actually a really upscale place if I do say so myself.<br /> We FIGHT our way through the swarms of drunk people and find our way to our table where our friends are already seated.<br /> "ZARA WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?! WE THOUGHT YOU'D DIED IN THAT MASSIVE HOUSE OF YOURS!!!!" , my childhood friend Sammie said to me.<br /> "Seriously though Alex, how did you get this bimbo out of the house?" Nicole adding dramatically.<br /> "Guys please!! I can still have Fun, alright? With that being said....WHO WANTS DRINKS???"<br /> My friends let out screams of approval and gave me their drink orders. I walked over to the bartender on the other side of the floor and gave him our orders, leaving him to do his work. I think back to what Alex said and actually agree that it's not my fault my marriage didn't work out. And I should stop crucifying myself for waste I couldn't control. Maybe there is someone else for me out there, that will truly love me, just...maybe.<br /> For some reason, I felt chills in the back of my spine. As if someone is watching me. I turned around to see no one in particular. Shrugging my shoulders I looked forward and slightly moved my body to the music playing in the background.<br /> The bartender gave me my drinks and I walked back to my table.<br /> { "Who's that girl, the one in the orange dress?"}<br /> { " I dunno, I've never seen her here before. Must be a first timer." }<br /> The mysterious man went back to sipping on his whisky, his eyes still on the beautiful girl.<br /> "Ugh, finally Zara!! We thought you got lost on your way back" said Nicole. "Oh, and did you see how the hawwwwt, guy sitting in the back was looking at you?!?!"<br /> A frown appeared between my eyebrows, "Who, I didn't see anyone at all."<br /> "Look behind you."<br /> I looked behind me and my breath hitched.<br /> Oh. My. Gosh.<br /> Grey eyes, slight stubble along his chiselled jaw, with a tabacco in between his plump, cherry coloured lips, 3 piece black and grey suit, and a watch that probably costs more than my entire life. <br /> Staring Right. At. Me.<br /> He noticed I was looking at him and showcased his million dollar smile. What was this man doing to me?<br /> I returned the smile, just showing politeness, and turned back to the table to see the 3 musketeers looking right at me with wide smiles, ready to pop any minute now.<br /> "The are you looking at, he's just being polite." I felt slightly uncomfortable under his and their gaze. Like I was under a microscope.<br /> "Uhm...what was that Zara? He clearly likes you and all you're gonna offer him is a smile and a wave? What's wrong with you?!?!"<br /> "Hey Hey Hey!!! Not everyone is a horndog like you Taylor, chill out. And besides....you don't chase the man, the man has to chase you."<br /> We took our conversation to the dance floor and started swaying our bodies to the music. The DJ sure does know how to make the party happen, kudos to him.<br /> I drank more and lost myself in the music, until I felt hands hold onto my waist firmly. <br /> Grey eyes was staring down on me. I didn't realise how tall he was since he was sitting down.<br /> He's about 6'7 while I'm a cool 5'7.<br /> "Hey."<br /> I had to tilt my head in order to see him. He looks so much hotter in person.<br /> I took a deep breath trying to not stutter.<br /> "Uh..Hi." <br /> He leaned down to my ear.<br /> "What's a beautiful lady like you doing alone in a place like this?"<br /> His minty breath mixed with whiskey and cigarettes got me real hot and heavy.<br /> "I didn't come here alone. I actually came here with my 4 friends. I'm surprised you didn't see me sitting with them."<br /> He completely ignored my response and looked at me with an indescribable expression.<br /> "Let me take you home. I insist."<br /> "No thank you, I don't want to worry my friends."<br /> "I don't think they'll mind, besides, they're too occupied with ....𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬." He gestured behind me where Taylor was grinding on a random guy, while the other 3 where no where to be seen.<br /> I pondered over it for a while. Leaving with a complete stranger was a completely good idea, no matter how hot, dreamy he may be. But then again....what do I have to lose?<br /> "Let's go." I said feeling confident.<br /> He replied with a lopsided grin and took my hand, leading me to the parking lot, he opened my door for me and I thanked him while getting in.<br /> He jogged over to the driver's side and got in.<br /> Soon enough we were racing down the highway going further and further away from the busy night life.<br /> "Nice car you got." I tried to start a conversation.<br /> "Thanks. Where do you live?" I quickly gave him the coordinates and he continued along the road to my house. I actually took this time to actually look at this mystery man. He's actually more handsome in person, with tattoos peeking out of the collar and sleeves of his white dress shirt.<br /> "Don't you know it's rude to stare, Sweetheart?" With a smile on his face, still focusing on the road.<br /> "Sorry, I didn't realize I was staring that long." I muttered embarrassed. Thank God for my skin tone otherwise he would've noticed the slight blush on my cheeks.<br /> "Ahh, so you 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 staring at me?" His smile getting wider by each word he said.<br /> "I can't help it, I like what I see." Shrugging my shoulders and looking out my window, I realised we had already arrived.<br /> "Thanks again...you know....for not trying to kill me or anything -"<br /> "-wait. I didn't get your name" He turned fully to look at me, awaiting my answer.<br /> "Zara. Zara Campbell. And...you are?"<br /> "Mason Anderson. At your service, Madam." He said with a British accent.<br /> We shared a laugh and exchanged numbers, with him not letting me leave his car until he made sure I gave him the right number.<br /> "I'll give you a call sometime, yeah?"<br /> My heart fluttered at his words.<br /> ".....ERM, sure."<br /> He waited until I got in the house before driving off.<br /> I made a Greek salad to eat before changing into my red nightie and drifting off to sleep.<br /> Maybe I do have a chance to be happy, after all.	LEARN_MORE	https://a.whastory.com/ad/c2VhZ3VsbC8xNzExMzkvMjAy	107108135745748	What2628-eng	https://facebook.com/100093514056404	81	1	954,873,292,768,529	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	What2628-eng	120209802961590344	a.whastory.com	NONE	video		https://a.whastory.com/ad/c2VhZ3VsbC8xNzExMzkvMjAyNDA1MDcxNjAxMjgvcGFnZQ==?adid={{ad.id}}	2024-05-07 03:09	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441058335_420378494190089_3938692002870167782_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=TMJrFdMMwAEQ7kNvgHdYcrY&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfBKIcuhWrNKNh1QnJSyOgwTXZIadLOLb3UHAXtPH2_eiA&oe=6641D80B	person_profile	What2628-eng	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441369155_983407636727943_7465565359237634273_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=7HQtqnKmjTUQ7kNvgENdvZh&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfCsBA4rCE254tkFIIw7Sr9HqA-Zk-anI5m33kFZWVUF-g&oe=6641D73C	3	What2628-eng	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
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1,778,920	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778959}'	Yes	2024-05-08 18:44	active	760	321063787493711	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	106206892171576	Love Story City	https://facebook.com/100083614308933	17,592	3	1,956,059,591,463,340	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	1	1	Learn more	Love Story City	120206717900010147	fbweb.moboreader.net	NONE	image		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/46526322-FB_CONTACT-ENJ57_9-C2-Core2.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=961225&accid=412379061191874&jump=1	2024-05-07 22:04	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440465607_455685320286232_3586008799954734685_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=05i7eqmW6XgQ7kNvgHxe7Ae&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDxBd5SUCa0lfFATRKe8IgtXM6dmzFGPpi2iyYoa50cYQ&oe=6641DF1A	person_profile	ReadNow	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440424944_1478082956451460_1906946247804124773_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=P5TynDFzI6cQ7kNvgEfemRz&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDY2nnTOJFDGXf2fsnWYwEzi7ezY_4lguvS1XejPVsAGA&oe=6641D1AE	3	Love Story City	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,667	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-05-08 18:41	active	760	438240282128713	"They are sold in any pharmacy, they are called... "	Who suffers from neuropathy – read before they delete my post! Pain disappears in 2 nights and forever...	LEARN_MORE	https://smip.top/qzy0006	304231422771202	Armamentr	https://facebook.com/61558687875597	0	1	3,691,241,177,786,108	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	Armamentr	120210255313610541	smip.top	NONE	image	Evidence-based, expert articles about healthy eating in real life: cooking & meal prep, diets, weight management, supplements, condition-based eating, and more.	https://smip.top/qzy0006	2024-05-08 05:30	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438302256_966675908002081_7457098143360624890_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=9LcA_jvYvsAQ7kNvgE4buXn&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfAhR492h-WdAcCBm3hFSDegVB9NN_4lhOM8ZiHNkGdlcw&oe=6641C6D0	person_profile	Armamentr	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/438305182_425289580238744_8425254572959219731_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=n7nhg4ROZasQ7kNvgEH0XbS&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDd9mxncVPGjLPVg52AbMsYyhtAzcwHZbGAWyVCOj1gdQ&oe=6641F861	3	Armamentr	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,092	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778278}'	Yes	2024-05-08 18:33	active	760	286688167824581	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	“You’ve earned yourself a nickname.”<br /> I groaned. “Whatever you’re going to say, don’t.”<br /> “Kitten. You’re cute, but you scratch and bite.” He laughed at the sound I made. “It’s okay. You also lick after you bite.”<br /> I grunted. “If I could move, I’d hit you.”<br /> "My control is worse right now, and if you don’t stop, we’re going to end up killing Jace by way of him finding my shaft buried as deep in you as I can get.”<br /> ————————<br /> Jenny pov<br /> “I’ll stay in a corner somewhere, Jason. Just for tonight.”<br /> “Was it a guy, Jenny?” Jason frowned at me with my same amber colored eyes.<br /> “Does it matter?” <br /> “Does it matter if a guy made you cry like this?” Jason put my glasses back on my face awkwardly and moved away as I straightened them. “Did he hurt you? Did he touch you?”<br /> I wrapped my arms around myself and shook my head. “Jason,please.”<br /> “He touched her.” Axel’s commentary wasn’t helping but when I darted a glance his way, he looked as annoyed as Jason. “Who is he? Do we know him?”<br /> Hudson was so helpful in filling their last roommate in. “Some prick hurt Baby Ramsey and she wants to stay here tonight. She won’t say who it was. Jason’s going King Kong. Axel’s helping ask questions. The party’s going to be awkward with Baby Ramsey crying in the middle of the living room.”<br /> “Sorry. I’ll go.”<br /> “No. No, Jenny. You can stay. I’m sorry.” Jason tugged me into his arms and hugged me tight. “You’re not getting out of talking to me about this, though. I need to know what happened and who to knock out.”<br /> “Thank you.”<br /> “Hud. The place smells like a gas station bathroom. That’ll be the real party killer.” Ryder’s voice faded as he stomped away.<br /> Hudson snorted. “You act like you’ve never left a plate of food sitting out for a week or two.”<br /> “This place is going to be swarming with people in about an hour, Jenny. Loud, drunk people. Can you handle that?” Jason held me out at arm’s length and searched my face. Apparently what he saw concerned him. “Jesus, Jen. You’re not okay, are you?”<br /> I looked down and shook my head. More tears threatened to fall and I blinked quickly to fight them. “It’s just for tonight. I’ll find a new apartment tomorrow.”<br /> “She can stay in my room tonight.”<br /> Jason and I both snapped around to look at Axel. Jason didn’t take as long as I did to recover. “What, Fitzgerald? That’s my little sister you’re talking about.”<br /> I made the mistake of looking up at Axel and watched as he wagged his brows at me. My entire face warmed and I turned away, embarrassed.<br /> “She’s not that little, Jace.” Axel’s voice was dangerously flirty and I could feel Jason tense. Thankfully, Axel finally laughed. “We’ve all had the talk, bud. We know. Baby Ramsey is off limits.”<br /> I was too mentally and emotionally exhausted to deal with them teasing each other. I just wanted to change out of my wet clothes and go to sleep for the next forty years. I didn’t even know how I was standing.<br /> “She can have my room for the night. That’s what I was saying before you perverts all took it wrong. We all know I’m not going back to my bed tonight.” Axel and Hudson did a handshake that just felt misogynistic and then Axel turned his focus on me. “Come on, Baby Ramsey. You can crash in my room. Lucky for you, the sheets are clean.”<br /> Jason hugged me tighter and then gently pushed me towards Axel. “Lock the door. It’ll still be loud, but at least you’ll have privacy. We’ll talk tomorrow. Okay, kid?”<br /> I wanted to cling to him for comfort but I just nodded and moved towards Axel. I saw that Axel still had my backpack and reached for it, just to have him throw it over his shoulder and grab my wrist. He was at least a foot taller than me and I had to race up the stairs to avoid him dragging me.<br /> He led me to a room at the end of the hall and pushed open the door to reveal a space that didn’t smell like anything terrible, thank god. His room was clean, minus a few notebooks and books stacked on his desk. The bed was even made.<br /> Axel set my backpack down next to his bed and went to his dresser. He pulled out a few things and tossed them on the bed before walking into the bathroom and flipping on the light. “The shower gets hot, so be careful. There’s towels in the bathroom closet. I’m assuming your clothes are wet if they’re in that backpack, so you can wear what I put on the bed.”<br /> I just wanted to be alone. “Thank you.”<br /> He stopped next to me at the door and tucked his finger under my chin. Lifting my face so I had to look at him, he looked me over and shook his head. “You’re going to have to tell Jason what happened or he’ll lose his mind. If you haven’t noticed, he thinks he’s your father.”<br /> “I can’t.”<br /> “You won’t. There’s a difference.” His slight accent made him disagreeing with me easier to handle. “Get some rest. You’ll need your energy to fight off Jason tomorrow. Try not to get too comfy in my bed, Jenny.”<br /> He waited until I lifted my eyes to his again and winked as he walked out of the room. I shut the door and locked it. I appreciated him being nice and I knew Jason’s friends were always kind, if uninterested in me.<br /> I pulled on Axel’s clothes without thinking about it and climbed into his bed.<br /> Just yesterday, I remembered the day before and where exactly I was. My brother’s house. Axel’s bed.<br /> I pushed open the bathroom door and rushed inside. The tiles and air were so much warmer that I instantly shut my eyes and sighed. That was so much better. It didn’t occur to me that I was feeling moisture in the air or that I was hearing running water until it was too late. It didn’t make sense to me. The bedroom door was locked. Why would there be anyone in the bathroom?<br /> When I opened my eyes, however, I got more than an eyeful. On the other side of the glass shower door stood Axel. Undressed as the day he was born, he stood tall with one thick arm braced on the tiled wall and his muscled legs spread wide. His head was tipped back, his lips parted, and his hand was working his shaft with long, hard strokes. Very long strokes, I noted unconsciously.<br /> I was frozen. My brain shouted at my body to move, but my body wasn’t budging. I’d never seen anything so erotic as the sight in front of me. Axel, with his hair dripping wet and his muscles tense, was art. He was deeply tanned everywhere except the exact spot his briefs would’ve been and I found myself deeply interested in the paler shade of his hip, along with the fullness of it.<br /> The way the water ran over his thick thighs and strong calves stole my gaze. Even his feet were somehow erotic. The indent of his abs as he slightly arched his hips into his hand, the fullness of his shoulders, the way his tongue stroked over his lips, it all sent heat racing through my body in a way I’d never experienced. I’d seen porn before, but watching Axel was…exhilarating.<br /> I had to leave. What I was doing was wrong. I gaze up to his face, desperate to see the pleasure there, and instead found myself staring straight into Axel’s heated gaze. I gasped but Axel didn’t stop moving his hand.<br /> My heart hammered but it was nothing compared to the throbbing between my thighs as he ran that gaze from the top of my head down to my toes. I ran my tongue over my lips, I’d swear later it was in an attempt to wet my dry mouth, and felt the force of Axel’s eyes landing on my mouth almost physically. I watched as his hand moved faster and clasped the front of my shirt, breathless.<br /> Axel did something next that crossed even more lines than I thought possible. He growled my name in that accented, throaty voice and came on the shower wall while I watched every detail. I’d only been with one man but I was shocked by the force and amount of his come. My core gave a deep ache, and I squeezed my thighs together and sucked in a sharp breath.<br /> And then my haze broke and I gasped as I realized what I’d just done. Without waiting to see if Axel was going to say anything, I turned and rushed back into the bedroom. I heard the water shut off but I was already jumping into my pants and grabbing my backpack. Whatever I missed I didn’t need, I figured. Still wearing Axel’s shirt and shoving my feet into my shoes, I ran out of the front door and nearly plowed over a couple of women coming up the steps with caddies of cleaning supplies.<br /> “Sorry! So sorry!” I stumbled and went down hard just before I reached my car but the burning pain I felt on my palm was nothing compared to the burning shame I felt on my face.<br /> Even in my harried state I pulled away from the curb safely and drove the speed limit away from their house. I wanted to burn rubber and leave a cartoon size trail of dust in my tracks but I was a rule follower. At least…I had been. <br /> When I was closer to campus, I found my phone where I’d left it in the center console and turned it on. I stopped in the parking lot of a donut shop and tried not to cry as message after message from Landon chimed. My phone buzzed nonstop with missed calls and voicemails for almost a minute straight while I watched it with dread. I didn’t want to see anything from Landon. My entire car was filled with everything I owned in the world. That was reason enough. My strange feelings of guilt and shame over watching Axel didn’t help.<br /> When the last message came in, I saw that it was from Jason.<br /> I’m heading to the gym this morning with the guys. See you in class. Don’t think you’re avoiding me, kid. You’re talking to me today.<br /> My stomach fell straight to my feet as I thought about sitting in the class he’d mentioned. The class that Landon taught and I TA’ed. The class that Jason, Hudson, and Axel all sat in the back of and tried to pretend to be awake.<br /> I couldn’t go to that class. I tried calling Jason but his phone was off. I had to find him and explain that I was looking for apartments or I knew he’d blow a gasket about me not being in class. I blew out a deep breath and headed towards the gym, the one place on campus I’d made it a priority to never go.<br /> Ryder pov<br /> I found Jenny Ramsey standing in the doorway of the locker room, eyes wide and face bright red. She was making direct eye contact with my shaft. Her giant whiskey-colored eyes were even larger than normal behind her black framed glasses and her pouty bottom lip was pinched between her teeth hard. Her hair was a wild mess of tangles that looked like it was trying to attack her face and she was wearing Axel’s championship T-shirt.<br /> Jason had a lot of nerve bringing his little sister into our house. Jenny had a lot of nerve walking into the locker room like she had. The same way it always did when I thought about Jenny Ramsey, I felt a wave of aggravation and desire threaten to take out my carefully curated control. It pissed me off that the unaware woman was in my space. <br /> “Well, Baby Ramsey. Does big bro know you’ve got a kink for watching?” Hudson grunted when I elbowed him in the chest. “What?”<br /> The guys around us had all the ammunition they needed. I watched Grayson whip his towel off and circle it over his head. “Baby Ramsey? Oh, Jason’s been hiding you from us!”<br /> I growled and marched towards Jenny. “Out.”<br /> She squeaked as she watched my shaft swing and then spun around. “Oh, god. I’m so sorry! I was looking for Jason.”<br /> “Well, he isn’t on my shaft, Jenny.” My voice was rougher than I meant it to be, but I was using every ounce of energy to stop my blood from rushing to my shaft. <br /> She hunched in on herself. “No, no. Sorry. I’m… I’m sorry!”<br /> I watched as she rushed out of the room and then turned to the rest of the team who were still watching and making crude jokes. “Let Jason hear you saying you’ll lose your teeth.”<br /> Hudson met my gaze and grinned. “Did Axel sneak into his room last night?”<br /> Anger crawled up my spine. “Why would I care?”<br /> “Well, if Jason is going to murder Axel, it might affect the team.” Hud wrapped his towel around his waist and then chuckled. “Do you think she saw that my shaft is bigger than yours?”<br /> I snorted, caught off guard, and shoved him away. “She’s blind, but she’s not that blind, Hud. Now get away from me so I can get dressed and go to class.”<br /> He rubbed his hands together, looking every bit like the rich villain he was working on becoming. “I think I’m excited about Intro to Psych for the first time.”<br /> “Jesus, Hud.” I refused to admit, even to myself, I was jealous that while I sat in Psych 441: Health Psychology, Hudson would be taking an easy class like Intro to Psych, staring at Jenny’s hip.<br /> Jenny pov<br /> “Jenny.” The sound of Landon’s voice pierced through all other thoughts. Without turning to look at him, I started into the building.<br /> “Jenny, please. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all night. I haven’t slept.” Landon fell into step beside me, talking just under his breath so I’d be the only one to hear him. <br /> “Stop, Jenny. Talk to me. Meet me after class, okay? Meet me at my apartment-” He stopped short as he realized what he’d said and I stopped to cast an incredulous look at him.<br /> “No, thanks, Professor Hall. I’ll be busy today looking for an apartment. Since, you know, I’m homeless.” <br /> I’d spent so much time worshiping Landon. I’d fallen for him so fast and he’d known right away. Within a month of being in his class, we were making out on his desk. I thought he loved me, too, but he’d let me get rid of my apartment so I could move in with him, just to change his mind. I was homeless because he’d gotten cold feet.<br /> I hadn’t looked in a mirror all day and I knew I looked rough. I was still in Axel’s shirt and the pants I’d worn the day before.<br /> “Ms. Ramsey, please make a copy of this and drop it by my office after class.” Landon dropped a manilla folder on my lap and went up to the podium to get his laptop set up.<br /> I’d just started to open the folder when big hands grabbed my shoulders from behind. Looking back, I saw Jason and breathed out a sigh. “You scared me!”<br /> He climbed over the row of seats and settled next to me. “Yeah, well, you scared me first. Ready to talk to me, yet?”<br /> I looked around and saw that Axel and Hudson were sitting just behind us.“Not here, Jason.”<br /> He stretched out his legs and threw his arm around my shoulders. “Kid, you’re giving me heartburn.”<br /> “You’re just two years older than me. You realize that, right?”<br /> Hudson leaned forward. “Is that Axel’s shirt?”<br /> Jason looked me over and turned to glare at his friends. “Not funny. Take that off, Jenny.”<br /> I realized Jason was reaching for me. I slapped his hands away and scowled at my brother. “Stop it. I can’t take it off.”<br /> “Excuse me. Is there a problem?” Landon’s voice rang out loud and clear through the lecture hall. “Ms. Ramsey, why don’t you come up here and work through the slides for me? The remote isn’t working.”<br /> I glared at Jason and hugged my backpack as I walked in front of the room to sit at Landon’s desk, facing everyone. <br /> Sitting in front of everyone and forcing myself to keep a straight face was hard. He’d hurt me deeper than I knew how to express, and I just wanted him to leave me alone.<br /> I just waited desperately for it to all be over.<br /> I was lost in thought, nervously thinking of where to start my search, when I noticed everyone standing up to leave. I jumped to my feet and was so close to escaping when Jason stopped me.<br /> “You’ve got office hours now, right? That means you can talk to me.” He leaned down to look me in the eyes and smiled. “I’m not going to give up until you tell me, Jenny.”<br /> “Can I help you with anything?” Landon moved to my side and looked down at Jason until Jason stood up straight again. “Ms. Ramsey’s got to take care of something for me, so I can help if you have anything to ask about class.”<br /> Jason frowned and pulled me into a hug. “Nope. I don’t need anything from you, Professor Hall.”<br /> Axel and Hudson chose that moment to walk up to our miserable little party. Hudson, unaware of the building tension, winked at me and then looked at Jason. “I will say, Jace, she looks good in Axel’s shirt.”<br /> I slipped out of Jason’s arms and ducked out of his reach. <br /> I didn’t breathe normally again until I was in my car and miles away from campus.<br /> Come back to the house. We need to talk. <br /> I stared down at the message from Jason and then back up at their house. I didn’t want to go inside. I didn’t know what he wanted to talk about. I thought of how I’d left him with Landon and my chest grew tight at the idea of them talking, of Landon telling Jason everything. <br /> I really didn’t have a place to go. I’d promised Jason that I only needed to stay for one night, but I was going to break that promise if I went into their house and admitted the truth.<br /> “I’m sorry. I… I was on the phone. I didn’t mean for you to have to get up. Why do you want to talk? Is everything okay? I’m feeling much better so I hope this isn’t about me. I even found an apartment.”<br /> Jason had been leading me into the living room, but he stopped and looked back at me. He stared at me in the way he’d learned to do when we were still kids, the way that made me squirm when I was lying. He grunted and shook his head. “Liar.”<br /> “I’m not lying…”<br /> “What exactly were you going to do tonight, Jen?” Jason had his disapproving older brother voice on and I hated it.<br /> Hudson was on my right and he rested his arm along the couch behind me. “You’re going to make Jason’s blood pressure go up, sweetheart.”<br /> “Don’t call my sister that, prick” Jason rubbed his face aggressively. “But he’s right. If you lie to me, my blood pressure will go up and then I’ll be more at risk of a heart attack. Do you want that?”<br /> “That’s not fair.” I met his unwavering gaze and sighed. “I don’t know. I was just going to sleep in my car until I figured something out.”<br /> They all reacted like I’d just told them their favorite pro football team had been disbanded. Even Ryder looked like he wanted to strangle me. I withered under all the attention and dramatics.<br /> “Enough!” Ryder’s voice silenced the other three. “You three fools aren’t making her feel any better.”<br /> Jason knelt in front of me and held my hands. “Jenny… That was an incredibly bad idea. You’re supposed to be the smart one in the family, so I know you know better.”<br /> Emotion burned my throat but I refused to cry again. In front of them, at least. Instead, I met my brother’s eyes and told him as much of the truth as I could. “I was supposed to move in with someone.”<br /> “Okay, that’s a good start. Are they not ready yet, or…?” He looked at my face . “They wouldn’t let you move in?”<br /> “He let me give up my apartment and show up with all my things.”<br /> “Maybe it was a bad idea, anyway. I mean… Yeah, it obviously was. If he could do this, he didn’t love me. It’s better that I found out earlier. Although, finding out almost two years ago would’ve been a lot easier. I wouldn’t be homeless.”<br /> Jason’s head snapped back. “Two years? You’ve been dating someone for two years?”<br /> I hugged myself tight and nodded. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s over.”<br /> “It matters, Jenny!” He stopped and took a deep breath before starting over. “Sorry for yelling, but it matters. Why didn’t you tell me?”<br /> I silently begged for him to be okay with never knowing. “I can’t.”<br /> Axel seemed just as angry as Jason. “Why don’t you whisper it to me and I just handle it?”<br /> That brought a smile to my lips but Jason’s frustration bubbled over and erased it as if it’d never been there. “Who is it, Jen? Does Mom know? I’ll call her right now and have her tell me.”<br /> I grabbed his arm and shook my head. “Please, Jason. She doesn’t know. No one does. I don’t want anyone to ever know. Okay? Can’t that be enough? I just want to move on. I don’t want to ever think about him again. I was an idiot and now I know. Lesson learned. We can all move on. Okay? Okay, Jason? Please.”<br /> He stood up and walked to the other side of the room. He paced near Ryder and I fought to keep my eyes away. Jason finally sank onto the couch next to Ryder and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “I won’t push right now. That’s all I can give you.”<br /> I nodded and stood up. I felt like we’d covered all our bases and I could go.<br /> “Where do you think you’re going?” Jason stood up again and glared at me. “If you think you’re actually going to sleep in your car, you’ve lost your mind.”<br /> Anger finally slipped into my voice. “I don’t have anywhere else to go, Jason!”<br /> “You do.Some of us need tutoring. Well, three of us need tutoring if we want to stay on the field. We talked about it earlier and if you’re willing to tutor a few days a week, you can stay here until you find somewhere else.”<br /> “You’ll let me stay until I have somewhere to go?”<br /> He nodded.“Maybe I should’ve led with that.”<br /> Axel pov<br /> Before I could stop myself, I reached out and caught her wrist. My grip was too tight and I had to make myself let up. “I shower every morning.”<br /> She looked up at me but didn’t say anything. We both knew what I was saying.<br /> “I’d rather not share a bathroom with Hudson, so I’m just going to keep my things in here and shower here.” I watched for any signs of hesitation. “I should be better at locking the door when I shower, but I never learn.”<br /> Her lips parted and her tongue slipped out to wet her lips.<br /> “This morning’s shower was the best shower I’ve ever taken.” The words hung between us. Taking an even bigger risk with the door wide open, I stepped closer and pressed my mouth as close to her ear as I dared. “Feel free to come back, Jenny.”	LEARN_MORE	https://b.penguinovels.com/ad/cGVuZ3VpbnMvMTcyMTgz	144436915429870	Guin115	https://facebook.com/61554770732054	2	1	947,451,664,057,706	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	Guin115	120208563287020733	b.penguinovels.com	NONE	video		https://b.penguinovels.com/ad/cGVuZ3VpbnMvMTcyMTgzLzIwMjQwNTA4MTQyMTA5L3BhZ2U=?adid={{ad.id}}	2024-05-08 01:25	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441284478_934922838428979_8920439028906287266_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=pjaFSDBXJG0Q7kNvgHxiXY4&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfDhNPYdCQROvlvbuXFU9V4xc96ZUrqtNKLxN7fnzeLe-g&oe=6641E913	person_profile	Guin115	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/442487638_971674264452097_8497332993563066364_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=eQo6YPJNKVUQ7kNvgGLY8zL&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfB3EagY0-l-ovgQMPl3QkbeTQcyk9SM0r-UNC94yoZsfg&oe=6641D535	3	Guin115	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,155	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778205}'	No	2024-05-08 18:34	active	760	476925384771227	🔥🔥 Click to Read 👉🏻👉🏻	"God, you're so wet for me, Tinkerbell," he growls in my ear, and I shiver at the sound.<br /> "You like being drilled by a stranger in the middle of a club?"<br /> I can't deny it. The very idea both terrifies and arouses me. When I don't push him away, he smiles.<br /> ————————<br /> SUMMER<br /> Pressed against the wall of the nightclub, the good-looking stranger pecks me. Tipsy and disoriented, my heart races with a mix of uncertainty and desire. I never expected my night to take such a thrilling turn.<br /> Sweat clings to my skin as the crowded club pulsates around us on this hot summer night. Loud music drowns out any semblance of conversation while flashing lights create an electrifying atmosphere, amplifying the raw energy that courses through my veins.<br /> As we remain locked in our forbidden embrace, I'm acutely aware of how out of character this is for me. Yet, there's something so undeniably exciting about living on the edge, if only for a brief moment in time. The danger and uncertainty, combined with the allure of this mysterious stranger, have awakened a long-dormant fire.<br /> The stranger's hands greedily explore my body's curves, leaving fire trails on my flushed skin. His tall frame towers over me, dark hair framing intense blue eyes that seem to pierce my very soul. Tattoos snake their way up his muscular arms, and even though I can't hear him speak over the pounding bass, the memory of his Irish accent as he drew me into this darkened corner sends shivers down my spine.<br /> Our lips collide again, and every nerve in my body awakens with a mix of hesitation, excitement, and nervousness. The sensation is intoxicating – something I've never felt before. It's as if we're dancing on the edge of a precipice, teetering between wicked and desire, and I'm powerless to resist the pull.<br /> His fingers trace the contours of my hips, pressing into my flesh with a possessiveness that terrifies and thrills me. My breath hitches in my throat as he tugs at the hem of my dress, exposing more of my quivering skin to his ravenous touch. I should be afraid, but instead, I crave more of this deliciously wrong connection.<br /> As our pecks deepen, I find myself lost in the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. The seductive dance of our tongues mirrors the chaos in my mind, each stroke sending electric jolts through my veins.<br /> What am I doing?<br /> Is this really who I want to be?<br /> Even as these thoughts race through my head, my body betrays me, responding eagerly to his every touch. I feel my heart pounding, not just from the exertion but from the thrill of the unknown. This man, this enigma who has captured my attention and ensnared me in his web of desire, holds a power over me that I can't explain.<br /> "What's your name?" I pant, wanting to know more about this stranger who has awakened such primal urges, but the cacophony of the nightclub drowns out my voice. He only smirks in response, his eyes never leaving mine, bewitching me within their depths.<br /> I'm terrified.<br /> This dark, brooding stranger has unlocked a part of me that has long been hidden away, and as much as I know I should be afraid, all I can think about is how alive I finally feel as his fingers trail up my thigh, sending shivers down my spine. My breath catches in my throat, my heart racing with anticipation and uncertainty.<br /> "Wait," I whisper, suddenly feeling the weight of our actions through the drunken haze that has descended on me from too many glasses of cheap Chardonnay. "Your name..."<br /> Something wicked and alluring dances in his blue gaze. Without breaking eye contact, he pushes my panties aside. My body tenses at the unexpected intrusion. For a moment, I feel vulnerable, exposed, and scared, but then his fingers find their target, and my resistance melts away.<br /> "Ah!" The sensation is intense, a mix of pleasure and pain as he works his fingers inside me. I cling to him, my hands gripping his shoulders, my nails digging into his skin through the fabric of his tight black shirt. He holds me against the wall, one hand pinning me by the waist while the other sends waves of pleasure coursing through my body.<br /> I gasp, my head falling back against the wall as he picks up the pace, expertly teasing and tormenting me. My leg wraps around his waist instinctively, drawing him closer, my hips grinding against his hand in a desperate search for more of that intoxicating sensation.<br /> Raising an eyebrow in question, as if challenging me to admit just how much I crave his touch. I nod, unable to form words, and he rewards me with another delicious thrust of his fingers.<br /> Around us, the club-goers are lost in their own world of revelry, utterly oblivious to the scandalous exchange just inches from them. A tangled mass of sweaty bodies writhes on the dance floor, consumed by the pulsing beat of the music. Drinks clink, laughter rings out, and it's as if we exist in our own secret bubble, hidden from the judgmental eyes of the world.<br /> "God, you're so wet for me, Tinkerbell," he growls in my ear, and I shiver at the sound. His voice is dark and commanding, a dangerous edge that weakens my knees. "You like being drilled by a stranger in the middle of a club?"<br /> I can't deny it. The very idea both terrifies and arouses me. As much as I want to pull away, to escape this intoxicating dance of desire and danger, I find myself giving into the temptation completely.<br /> When I don't push him away, he smiles. It's sinister, and it touches a part of me that I know I should run from.<br /> But I don't.<br /> "Good girl," he purrs, sending a hot thrill down my spine. And with that, I surrender to the darkness, allowing him to take control, to push me further than I've ever dared to go before.<br /> When his body goes slack, he leans his forehead against mine, his hot breath mingling with my panting. We stay like that for a moment, him buried inside me, neither of us aware of the reality around us, time entirely lost to us.<br /> Knowing what I've just done crashes around me like a thunderstorm. I've just had unprotected with a stranger in a club in front of hundreds of people.<br /> He pulls back, that sinful smile on his face as he does up his fly.<br /> "Thanks, Tinks. I needed that."<br /> As abruptly as he entered my life, he now walks away, disappearing into the throng of club-goers without so much as a backward glance. The emptiness left in his wake engulfs me entirely, an inexplicable mixture of satisfaction and confusion swirling around inside. He had been everything I both feared and craved – and yet he vanished as quickly as a shadow in the night.<br /> My heart pounds erratically in my chest, caught between the exhilaration of what just transpired and the anguish of knowing it might never happen again. Why can't I shake this feeling? This insatiable longing for a man I don't even know?<br /> I mutter, shoving my dress down and looking around to see if anyone is looking at me.<br /> They aren't. Or if they are, they aren't doing so overtly.<br /> Wiggling my panties back into place, I feel the dampness pool, and I shudder.<br /> What have I done?<br /> Feeling nauseous with the booze and the knowledge of my actions, I lean against the cool wall, trying to catch my breath and make sense of the overwhelming mix of emotions coursing through me. The taste of him still lingers on my lips, a bittersweet reminder of what just transpired in this dim corner of the club.<br /> Tinkerbell, he'd called me, his Irish accent making the words sound like a deliciously wicked incantation. A shiver runs down my spine as I remember the way he'd looked at me, his intense blue eyes seeming to pierce through every layer of my defenses, laying my darkest desires.<br /> "Summer?" I hear my name being called faintly over the cacophony, snapping me out of my reverie. It's my friend. Her voice tinged with concern. I know she must be wondering where I've been, why I disappeared so suddenly – but how could I possibly explain the truth to her? How could I put into words the intensity of my encounter with the enigmatic stranger?<br /> "Summer, let's go home," Amelia says, finding me. "I'm way past drunk."<br /> "Same." I nod, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere of the club. As we make our way through the throngs of people, I glance back one last time, my eyes scanning the crowd for any glimpse of him. But he's gone, vanished like a ghost into the night.<br /> "Are you okay?" Amelia asks, her worried gaze fixed on me.<br /> I force a smile, trying to mask the turmoil within.<br /> "Fine," I lie, my voice barely audible above the din. "I'm fine."<br /> But as we step out into the cool night air, I can't shake the feeling that something has changed forever – that I've crossed a line from which there's no turning back. Part of that is fueled by beverage, hunger for the dangerous taste of forbidden desire, now awakened and impossible to ignore.<br /> ---<br /> Waking up with a raging thirst, a banging head and stiff legs, I moan against the light pouring into my bedroom through a crack in the curtains.<br /> Celebrating my twenty-fifth birthday yesterday had been a mistake. I should've stayed home, knowing I had work today.<br /> Half an hour later, and not a moment too soon, I race into the store, brushing down my clothes.<br /> "Morning, Summer," my coworker Jess greets me. "Ready for another fun-filled day?"<br /> "Thrilled," I reply sarcastically, forcing a smile. We exchange pleasantries, but my mind is elsewhere, filled with shame and lingering thoughts of Irish. That's his name now. I can't keep thinking of him as a stranger. It's unappealing and makes me edgy.<br /> "Hey, are you okay?" Jess asks concern etched on her face. "You seem off."<br /> "Long night," I admit, not wanting to divulge the details of my one-night stand. "Just need more coffee, I guess."<br /> "Ah, the hangover cure-all," she jokes, attempting to lighten the mood. "Well, hang in there. You've got this."<br /> "Thanks, Jess," I say, grateful for her support.<br /> Foregoing more coffee on my delicate stomach, I get straight to work, needing the distraction. But as I fold clothes and help customers, Irish's face haunts me. His touch lingers on my skin like a phantom caress, stirring up a risky mix of desire and guilt.<br /> I force my attention back to work, determined not to let my personal turmoil affect my performance. Customers come and go, their questions and needs pulling me out of my head for brief moments. But each time the store quiets down, the ghost of Irish returns, taunting me with his memory.<br /> As the hours drag on, my feet ache from standing, my head pounds, and I'm hungry at the same time as nauseous. I wonder if my one reckless night with the enigmatic Irishman might somehow be a twisted blessing in disguise – a chance to break free from the shackles of my mundane existence and embrace the tantalizing allure of danger and desire.<br /> As I finish restocking the shelves and return to the sales floor, I can't shake the feeling that I'm teetering on the edge of something life-changing. Despite knowing I should forget about Irish and move on with my life, part of me wonders if our paths will cross again – and what dark secrets he's hiding beneath that charming exterior.<br /> The afternoon sun casts long shadows on the store floor, and I feel like they're closing in on me. My thoughts keep drifting back to Irish, no matter how hard I try to focus on my tasks.<br /> "Excuse me," a customer says, bringing me back to reality. "Can you help me find a shirt that matches this tie?"<br /> "Of course," I reply, forcing a cheerful smile. We make our way through the maze of clothing racks, my mind racing with questions. Does Irish feel the same way I do? Or has he already moved on to someone else? He seems the type, what with seducing me and then striding off.<br /> "Here you are," I say, handing the man a perfectly matched shirt. He thanks me for my assistance before walking away, leaving me to my turbulent thoughts again.<br /> A shiver runs down my spine as I imagine Irish's eyes locked onto mine, his accent teasing every part of me. The forbidden desire bubbling up refuses to be silenced, even though I know it's dangerous to entertain these fantasies.<br /> "Summer, can you take over at the register?" Jess asks, snapping me out of my reverie.<br /> "Sure, no problem," I respond, stepping behind the counter. As I ring up customers' purchases, my heart flutters with anxiety, wondering if Irish has any regrets about our night together. I can't shake the feeling that there must be something more to him - something darker lurking beneath the surface. He is attracted, but nice guys don't do what he did.<br /> Neither do nice girls.<br /> Cringing at the thoughts, I shake it off. I'm not a yummy yukker. 'You do you' has always been my motto, but it was out of character for me to do what I did last night, and it will probably take me a while to get over the guilt I feel.<br /> Smiling at the young woman, I ring up her goods and wait for her to pay. She thanks me and leaves, her heady perfume lingering in the air like a ghostly reminder of last night's passion.<br /> "Home time!" Gary calls out, crossing over to me with a smile. "Thank, am I right?"<br /> "Yeah." Giving him a shy smile, I lower my eyes. He's my work crush. He's tall with blonde hair and green eyes that crinkle at the corners when he smiles. I always fluster when he speaks to me, even though he is the friendliest guy going. "I'm exhausted."<br /> "Partied hard last night?" he asks with a twinkle in his eye. "Sorry I couldn't make it, but I had a thing."<br /> "It's okay, and yeah, a bit too much."<br /> My cheeks are hotter than the flames of infernoinferno as I stammer my way out of this conversation with a half-hearted wave, rushing past him to the break room to gather my belongings from my locker. Hoping he didn't hear anything about anything, I will be sure to avoid him for the foreseeable future, just in case.<br /> Stepping outside the store, the evening air is hot and sweaty on my skin as the humidity levels have not dropped.<br /> Glaring at the clear blue sky, I curse it. "Where is the supposed thunderstorm?" I mutter and head for the parking lot, only to be stopped short when I remember I don't have my car; I have the bus.<br /> All I want to do is hurry home, have a cool shower and then, in incognito mode, look up places I can go to get tested, preferably somewhere out of town so no one sees me.<br /> As I walk to the bus stop, surrounded by people finishing their city jobs and leaving the stores as they close, these thoughts of Irish continue to haunt me. I know I should forget about him and move on with my life, but something inside me clings to the hope that he might be the one I've been waiting for. The taste of danger, coupled with whiskey and smoke, lingers on my lips, making it impossible to let go completely.<br /> Wondering if our paths will cross again and what sinister truths are concealed in those irresistible eyes, all I can do is keep moving forward, one step at a time, until I hear a voice behind me that freezes my blood instantly.<br /> As I glance up, my heart skips a beat. There he is—Irish.	LEARN_MORE	https://a.crazynovelapp.com/ad/TXlsaWIvMTcxMTk3LzI	106539445754279	Cra0001	https://facebook.com/100091661543152	35	1	1,508,534,200,100,584	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	Cra0001	120207100835090553	a.crazynovelapp.com	NONE	video		https://a.crazynovelapp.com/ad/TXlsaWIvMTcxMTk3LzIwMjQwNTA3MTYwNTQ4L3BhZ2U=?adid={{ad.id}}	2024-05-07 03:13	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440441479_351485474610366_5987879465115813916_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=1JQe6lRAPqgQ7kNvgHD5MSZ&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfC0RcgZle8xvu89QMS81VD2juN-Ie1z2vm73l8CxFfp7A&oe=6641EF4E	person_profile	Cra0001	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/440772629_376785968690948_1623877726123707058_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=cfj3j57ocYcQ7kNvgGq2r-m&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfB6qjBUsQ12IwUXb6cG5fGvKAN2BlRyfB-8Om51P93YXw&oe=6641CD2B	3	Cra0001	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,670	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778669}'	No	2024-05-08 18:41	active	760	1176580406707299	40+ Absurd, Awkward, And Embarrassing First Date Stories	Jimmy Fallon’s audience showed bad dates can turn into hilarious stories. They’re like rom-com movies gone bad in real life. Here are some of our favorite #worstfirstdate replies.	LEARN_MORE	https://brideliving.com/bljimmydate/	117304701464492	BrideLiving Magazine	https://facebook.com/bridesliving	13	3	1,497,268,370,825,728	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	BrideLiving Magazine	120210032921790439	brideliving.com	NONE	image	First dates aren’t easy. In fact, they can be pretty nerve-wracking. It’s often your first — or only — chance to make an impression on someone you’d potentially want to spend years of your life with. And if you really like that person, you’d practically do everything to make them like yo...	https://brideliving.com/bljimmydate/	2024-05-08 05:12	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/439857688_958343515970903_8987481411360524698_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=yFLIQQiwEB4Q7kNvgGbgaa0&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfAy0xAl3JvHFXwrkkhqWYtt0TiSzvNtkovh2PyJn6Q-fA&oe=6641CCAA	person_profile			3	BrideLiving Magazine	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete
1,778,561	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":1778569}'	No	2024-05-08 18:39	active	760	1655064965240310	End the Tingling and Burning	🔥 Struggling with neuropathic foot pain, and stiff and sore joints? <br /> <br /> Whether your neuropathy is diabetic, chemo-induced, autoimmune, or idiopathic… tingling neuropathy can wreak havoc on your life.<br /> <br /> It’s important to do something now before it’s too late…<br /> <br /> 🌟 Embrace Freedom in 2024: FDA-Approved, Non-pharmaceutical Neuropathy Treatment in Sioux Falls 🌟<br /> <br /> Dynamic Spine and Neuropathy uses breakthrough technology that offers relief from neuropathic foot pain, stiffness, and swelling almost instantly by promoting blood circulation and healing the damaged tissue in your foot. <br /> <br /> Experience the only non-pharmaceutical neuropathy treatment that’s both effective and FDA approved. It’s specifically designed to quickly alleviate the discomfort of burning and tingling sensations, transforming your life into one of comfort and mobility.<br /> <br /> 🌱 Our approach not only eases your pain but also targets the root cause of neuropathy. Say goodbye to temporary fixes and hello to lasting relief.<br /> <br /> What’s Included:<br /> <br /> ✅ Initial Evaluation & Neuropathy Severity Report<br /> ✅ Stimulates blood flow<br /> ✅ Naturally promotes nerve regeneration process (no harsh medication)<br /> <br /> ⬇️ Click Learn More<br /> <br /> Your path to a pain-free life is just a click away. Let’s make neuropathy a thing of the past.	LEARN_MORE	https://www.dynamicsiouxfalls.com/neuropathy	1251175424941279	Dynamic Spine & Neuropathy	https://facebook.com/Dynamicspinechiropractic	1,905	1	977,473,144,021,711	2024-05-08 02:00	person_profile	eligible	NONE	0	1	Learn more	Dynamic Spine & Neuropathy	6620056250523	dynamicsiouxfalls.com	NONE	image	Step into a Neuropathy Free Life	https://www.dynamicsiouxfalls.com/neuropathy	2024-05-08 08:04	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441889854_1182836376226526_3283956640286047647_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Iymf_5idh7EQ7kNvgH6pHwK&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfDWGLt9nEe8n-bVatonokauHINS2W3eWlNOFo0ilozUMg&oe=6641C5E9	person_profile	Dynamic Spine Chiropractic - S	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441899726_302002406180179_7394584044874030710_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=QbBZYCkxPIsQ7kNvgESDCYO&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfC25m74mXI_MFIJPo63MwSn_fHgyCe1XMluZgpwjHrZkQ&oe=6641DC29	3	Dynamic Spine & Neuropathy	2024-05-08 02:00	View Edit Delete

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