Chapter: CHAPTER 95The bell tower chimed, cold breeze blew and my exposed skin swelled with goosebumps. I tried to find any point of escape but from the looks of it there was no way I was going to outrun any of these hard looking men without either getting gunned down, or getting grabbed immediately because I wasn’t covering any reasonable distance in these heels. Why did I choose to wear these length on a day that I knew that my life was most likely going to be in danger. I knew it, I called it, I senses it but still I was the most unprepared for it. But another note, what could I have done to prevent it?‘Maybe stay at home’ a tiny voice sliced through my ears and I rolled my eyes at my own thoughts. What if whoever it was came to find me at home and I was home alone with no one to protect me, no one but my fragile self who couldn’t even kill a roach.“What’s going on?” I manage to croak out to Matteo who even seemed as confused as myself, but he pushed me conveniently behind me and he stood tall to f
Last Updated: 2024-12-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 94The second rose weighed heavily on my mind while I sat numbly in the cab home. As soon as I stepped inside my apartment, I placed it next to the bouquet from the previous morning. The fresh bloom stood out starkly against the older flowers, both beautiful and unsettling. Why did I bring it home with me? I wasn’t sure but somehow it felt like a puzzle itching to be solved, it felt like someone was baiting me, setting an obvious trap and hoping that I was stupid enough to fall.I sat at my kitchen table with both notes laid out in front of me. The first note, with its chilling message—"Don't think I've forgotten about you, Miss Jessica Peters"—and the second, more elegant but equally cryptic—"See you at the fundraiser."The handwriting on the first note was more refined, with graceful loops and flourishes, while the second note was plain, almost hurried. Despite their differences, both notes carried a similar weight, a sense of being watched, of someone out there knowing more about my l
Last Updated: 2024-12-11
Chapter: CHAPTER 93Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you Miss Jessica Peters.The words seemed to echo in the silent room as I read the words over and over again in my head, trying to fix the invisible dots together. Who could have sent this? I turned the card over a few times and when no clue was forthcoming to my brain, I took the bouquet inside and I dropped it on the counter in the kitchen.The next day, I got ready for work, slipping on a pencil gown and tying my hair up in the sleekest ponytail my hands could do, a little red lipstick and a dab of sultry perfume adorning my neck and wrist. Walking into the restaurant that morning, it was still quiet and devoid of patrons giving us time to put everything together and prepare for the day. The familiar scent of rich sauces and freshly baked bread reached my nostrils as I made my way to the kitchen.But as I moved through the kitchen, I felt the tension immediately. There was Matteo, at the counter, reviewing a file and I paused. What was he doing here
Last Updated: 2024-12-10
Chapter: CHAPTER 92JESSICA’S POVThe cold night’s air felt like a splash of cold water on my face, the street light cast long shadows on the pavement where we stood and it created a cinematic glow that only heightened the gravity of the vengeful kiss I shared with Matteo.I reached up, my fingers trembling slightly as I touched Matteo’s face, drawing him closer to me. His lips were soft and surprisingly gentle when they met mine. At first, it was slow – tender and a careful dance of sweetness that contrasted sharply with the whirlwind of conflicting emotions that I was feeling at the moment. But the tenderness didn’t last – the kiss deepened. Matteo’s hands sliding around my waist, pulling me dangerously close. The sweetness gave way to growing hunger, a wild intensity that made my heart race and my breath catch in my throat, although the fire that burned inside of him probably stemming from lust and desire, but mine burned from a place of anger and revenge.His kiss was no longer gentle; it was fervent
Last Updated: 2024-12-09
Chapter: CHAPTER 91JESSICA’S POV“It didn’t mean anything Jess – I swear” Parrish was saying to me but I was barely looking at him even though I allowed his words to diffuse through me – instead of sadness or any sort of mushy emotions I was seething with anger.“I was drunk – lost – confused and I was grieving – and I – I – I just needed someone to talk to”“You could’ve talked to me!” I yelled at him “I was right there – begging you to talk to me, begging you to see me but you got into your car and went to fuck my best friend”“No it’s not – it’s not like that. It wasn’t that easy, I didn’t want to hurt you anymore and – ”I scoffed this time, interrupting his words “That’s all you ever do Parrish – hurt me and hurt me over and over again”“You were not supposed to find out this way” Parrish said with a sullen expression. His face was drawn with guilt and I could see his eyes sag with exhaustion.“It doesn’t change the fact that it happened” I said back “You slept with her, you fucked her while I was
Last Updated: 2024-12-08
Chapter: CHAPTER 90SOME DRUNKEN YEARS AGOPARRISH’S POVI remember how it felt – the days leading from Jessica father’s death. I had been so ridden with guilt that I could barely look her in the eye.“Nothing good is going to come out from you still seeing her – end it now” my father had said to me but it was easier for him to say when he didn’t understand the circumstances surrounding it. She was carrying my child – a fact that I never told my father. How could I just leave her?I knew I was pulling away when she needed me to from but subconsciously and consciously too, but in a fucked up way I wanted her to hate me and break up with me. But everything started falling apart when she woke up in the middle of night with blood pooling between her legs. I had jumped up in a fright, silently praying that it wasn’t more serious. But when the doctor had spewed the words ‘miscarriage’ – I felt liberated.It felt like there was nothing else tying me to her and it’ll be easier to let go but still – I couldn’t. I
Last Updated: 2024-12-06
A Deal With My Billionaire Husband
“Rule No. 1 – sex is off the table”
He looked at me, a certain darkness clouding his eyes that only brewed lust and desire “Don't worry doll, I'm not going to touch you, not unless you beg me to”
Five years ago, Helena De Luca is divorced by her husband, Dante D'angelo, when his high school sweetheart returned and claimed his heart. Now, Helena’s back, not for rekindled romance but for survival. Her family's empire is under siege, and the only way to protect it is to strike a dangerous deal with the man she once called her own.
Dante agrees to help—but there's only one way: a fake marriage. Helena's reluctance turns to desperation when the rival gangs close in, forcing her to accept. She sets one rule—no falling in love. The stakes are high and complications arise in the form of Dante's manipulative cousin Matteo, who's determined to tear them apart to have Helena for himself no matter what it takes.
To make matters worse, Dante’s first love is back, determined to destroy Helena's life and claim Dante for herself.
Their worlds entangle, a dark sinful attraction festering between Dante and Helena and getting caught in a dirty game of lust, dark desires tainted with betrayal and manipulation. Would Helena be able to withstand the demands of falling for a man as dangerous or would she give in to the pressures of those who want them apart?
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Chapter: 97 - NEW KINGLeadership wasn’t something you chose—it was something thrust upon you. After Dante’s death, it became clear who the next king of Algreen Cove was. The whispers had already started during the wedding reception, even as the gunfire echoed and the blood of Dante's last ploy stained the marble floors.Paulo had made his stance clear long ago. “I’m not cut out to lead,” he’d told me. And I believed him. Paulo was loyal, ruthless when necessary, and dependable in the trenches, but he didn’t have the vision or the temperament to run the cartel. That left the mantle of leadership squarely on my shoulders, a weight I had carried before I even realized I was strong enough to bear it.Two days had passed since the wedding. Two days of waking up beside Helena, the woman who had brought light back into my life in ways I hadn’t thought possible. She was mine now—my wife, the mother of the child growing inside her. I had her in my arms every morning, her soft brown eyes meeting mine as sunlight spi
Last Updated: 2024-12-12
Chapter: 96 - HE DID ITHELENA’S POVA month later, it was my wedding day—a day I once thought I’d never experience again. Yet here I was, standing in the grand chapel with its towering stone walls, ancient wooden pews, and arched ceilings that seemed to stretch toward the heavens. The air was thick with the scent of lilies, and the soft hum of the organ echoed through the sacred space.Despite the joy and the wealth surrounding me, the past weeks had been tense. Every moment felt borrowed, every shadow held the potential for danger. Dante’s ghost lingered, not in whispers or memories, but in the palpable fear that someone, somewhere, was still following his orders. And yet, amidst it all, Matteo remained steadfast, his presence like a beacon guiding me through the storm.The flowing wedding dress hugged my body, a delicate lace overlay cascading down to the floor. Pearls lined my hair, glimmering like tiny moons against the soft waves. My hand instinctively rested on my abdomen, where a barely-there bump he
Last Updated: 2024-12-11
Chapter: 95 - THE TRUTHTwo weeks passed since the night I stared at that little plus sign, and my world tilted on its axis. I'd managed to keep it to myself, burying the secret beneath a mask of normalcy. But today, as I stood in Vivianna’s hospital room, staring at her tiny, pink-faced daughter lying peacefully in the cot, I felt the weight of my silence crushing me.The words tumbled out before I could stop them. “I think I’m pregnant.”Vivianna whipped her head around, eyes wide in disbelief. “What do you mean you think you’re pregnant?”I sighed, wringing my hands together. “I am pregnant.”“For Dante?” she asked, her voice sharp and her gaze piercing.“No,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Matteo.”The name felt fragile in my mouth, as if saying it out loud might shatter something. Vivianna’s shock melted into something softer, though her brows still knit together.“And you ended things with him again because...?”“It’s complicated,” I said, pacing the room on quiet, restless steps. “Do you think
Last Updated: 2024-12-10
Chapter: 94 - NO NOHELENA’S POVThe letter felt heavier in my trembling hands than it had any right to. I unfolded it slowly, the familiar scent of Dante—smoky, musky, and utterly suffocating—seeping out from the paper as if he had intended for it to linger. His handwriting sprawled across the page in bold, unapologetic strokes, commanding attention even in death.Helena,If you’re reading this, it means I’m dead.Congratulations. Or condolences. Whichever fits your mood better. If it’s Matteo who pulled the trigger—or ordered it—then he’s as much a fool as I’ve always thought him to be. But don’t think for a second that my death gives you freedom. You’ll never have freedom, not from me.Do you really think I’d allow you to be with him? Not in life, and certainly not in death. No, my darling, I’ve thought this through. I’ve ensured that if you ever dare to pursue a life with Matteo, there will be consequences. Dead men don’t just roll over, Helena, especially not me.I hired someone—a shadow, let’s call
Last Updated: 2024-12-09
Chapter: 93 - I CAN'T MARRY YOUHELENA’S POVThe city felt strange tonight—unusually quiet, like it knew what had happened. Even as I drove down the winding streets, tears streaking my face and my dress stiff with Dante’s blood, there was a hush that sat heavy in the air. It wasn’t peaceful, though. No, it was eerie, like the city itself mourned the life that had been snuffed out.Paulo had insisted I leave the hospital, promising me that Matteo would pull through. “Go home, rest,” he had said. “He’s going to be fine, I promise.”I wanted to believe him. I had to believe him.But Dante was dead. That fact alone had unraveled me.The man who had once held my heart so effortlessly and crushed it just as easily was gone. Dead. It didn’t feel real. He was larger than life, impossible to defeat, and yet, I’d seen his body sprawled on the ground. Despite everything he’d done—every cruel, merciless act—I couldn’t stop the ache that pulsed in my chest. A life had been lost, and no amount of hatred could erase the part of me
Last Updated: 2024-12-08
Chapter: 92 - HOPEHELENA’S POVThe world had gone silent around me. My ears rang with the deafening echo of the gunshot, but my mind refused to process it. I crumpled to the floor, the weight of dread pinning me down. I couldn’t open my eyes. I didn’t want to.What if he was gone?What if Dante had finally done it?My heart pounded erratically, each beat clawing at my ribs as if it wanted to burst free. Somewhere in the haze, I expected Dante’s taunting voice—his self-assured arrogance slicing through the tension like it always did. But there was nothing. Just an eerie, suffocating quiet.My hands trembled as I forced my eyes open, and when I did, the sight before me turned my blood to ice.Dante was sprawled on the ground, a crimson pool spreading beneath him, staining the earth like a macabre halo. His lifeless eyes stared at nothing, the usual malice in them extinguished. I blinked rapidly, trying to piece together what I was seeing.“W-What…” My voice cracked as I struggled to comprehend.Then I sa
Last Updated: 2024-12-06
Chapter: Chapter 111Immediately, Emily made her way to Hatton Tech and went straight to Jackson’s face, she barely knocked before she pushed the door open and coming face to face with Jackson and her heart stopped, almost forgetting how much impact he had on her. She saw the look of shock on his face, she didn’t think she’d be seeing him for a while, not after he had brutally ended things with her.“Emily” he called and she walked into his office, straight to his table and she slammed the pen recorder before him, ignoring the rapid pounding of her heart.Jackson looked from the recorder to her fatigued face, confusion clouded his eyes and he hoped for more words from her but Emily didn’t say a word instead she clicked play and fast forwarding the recording to the particular part she wanted him to hear.“Did you plan Jackson’s kidnap and also try to kill my baby?”“Jackson knew – ”At that point, she clicked it shut and looked into his eyes now, the pain doubling in her chest from what she perceived to be
Last Updated: 2024-04-26
Chapter: Chapter 110Emily stood outside the door to Ethan’s pent house while she rang the doorbell twice. It was impossible to explain how she felt but a seething anger was very much at the top of the list. She was very sure of how bedraggled she looked, her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail while she still had on the clothes from the previous days, her eyes had dark circles and she was very much tired but there was one thing she understood, Ethan was indeed the enemy and Ethan was the only reason why she would never be happy.Her head raged with thoughts that felt strange to her, evil thoughts that came from the anger that festered within and she needed to let it out, whichever way possible.Soon enough, the door sprung open and she came face to face with indeed Ethan’s handsome face. He was dressed casually in sweat pants and a t shirt, his hair ruffled like he had just rolled out of bed and his eyes roaming her as he took her in.“If you’re here to ask for forgiveness, you’re a few months too lat
Last Updated: 2024-04-26
Chapter: Chapter 109Emily’s world was shattered, her eyes were swollen shut from crying all night from Jackson stomping on her heart in the least way that she expected. Her hands went up to necklace dangling freely on her chest and she wanted nothing more than to throw it off as far as possible but she held unto it, remembering Jackson’s words to her No matter what happens between us, you’re always going to have my heart – and truly she always wanted to have his heart.Her frail fingers tightened around the pendant as she felt the tears fall freely from her eyes, the pain radiating all over again. Her mind went over the times they spent together, the way he held her stare and captivating her with his charming eyes. His daring kisses in public – at the red carpet and every single place to let every one know that he was in love with her and she relished in the thoughts while she sat in her mother’s hospital room as the woman laid unconscious on the bed. Emily held unto her mother’s hands, cold and clammy
Last Updated: 2024-04-25
Chapter: Chapter 108Later that night, Jackson stood in front of the Hatton family home as he watched Ethan drive into the building. He stood still, his face void of any emotion whatsoever as he waited for Ethan to highlight his car and walk up to him. He could smell the cockiness from where he stood, and the dirty smirk that was plastered on Ethan’s face as he made his way over to Jackson.“Hello brother” he greeted with a simple wave “How about we go inside for a drink?”“I don’t think that’ll be necessary” Jackson responded, his expression hard and stoic which was just a front for the deep sadness that festered within him.“Fine” Ethan shrugged in response “I didn’t plan on staying that long anyways, so what’s it going to be brother?”Jackson remained silent as he fought to say the next words but Ethan was impatient “Which is it going to be?”“You can have Emily, I don’t want her. She’s your wife after all but I’m going to keep my inheritance. Father chose me for a reason and I’m going to respect his d
Last Updated: 2024-04-23
Chapter: Chapter 107Billionaire Heir Jackson Hatton accused of sexual assaultThe walls began to cave in and Jackson’s world began to spin as he read the headline repeatedly till the words began to dance before him.“Shit! Shit!” he cursed underneath drawing Anita’s attention to him and she gave him a look“What’s wrong?” she asked but Jackson sprang up immediately and walked out of the emergency room, immediately he called Ethan and he picked on first ring.“Let’s talk” he said into the receiver “Meet me at the house in a few hours” and he ended the call immediately.**Meanwhile Emily still felt shattered while she sat next to her mother who still laid unconscious and had IV’s running through her vein with the automatic beeping of the heart monitor interrupting Emily’s thoughts but she held her mother’s hands tightly until the doctor walked in.“You must be Emily” he said as Emily stood up to shake his hands “Mr. Brown explained – ”“Is she going to be alright” Emily cut in immediately and the somber l
Last Updated: 2024-04-21
Chapter: Chapter 106The silence stood awkward between the brothers for a few seconds, neither willing to speak first but Ethan still had that cocky smile plastered on his face while Jackson couldn’t believe his ears.“What are you on about now Ethan?” Jackson broke the silence first, his demeanor was calm but he was seething inside“You heard me brother, I killed the story and now you owe me. So you have two options, give back everything you’ve taken from me, my wife inclusive or you face the consequences and maybe subsequently a judge for sexual assault, it’s your choice really because at the end of the day everything comes back to me”“You’re insane Ethan” Jackson scoffed.“Right” Ethan said “So what’s it going to be?”“I’m not doing either of that, so you can go to hell”Ethan laughed this time but he wasn’t done “Fine, you’re stubborn but I’ll give you a better offer. You pick between your inheritance and my wife”“Get out of my office Ethan, don’t you have better things to do?” Jackson pointed at t
Last Updated: 2024-04-21
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