Chapter: A New HopeCHAPTER 87: A NEW HOPEHer voice is almost audible against the breeze; she whispers, "We cannot run forever." "We are approaching."Noah initially answers hardly at all. He watches her, his own controlled anxiousness reflected in his eyes. " Nums." Still, we cannot face it by ourselves.Rachel stares at him, her history dragging down her shoulders. Once delicate, their relationship now feels like an unspoken promise—a knowledge they will be standing together no matter what happens. Still, even that dedication appears insufficient to shield them from what looms ahead.They have battled so valiantly to recover some normalcy and arrive here. Still, always eager to drag them back into the darkness, the shadows of their past linger, nipping at them. The truth of what they have done and lost forces on their shoulders like a weighty, stifling weight with every day.Noah adds at last. "We fight," his voice low yet firm. "And we triumph." In tandem.Footfall broke the silence before Rachel cou
Last Updated: 2025-03-12
Chapter: A New Beginning CHAPTER 86: A NEW BEGINNING The weight of their rebuilding decision presses on Rachel's chest as she glances out the window. The peaceful buzz of the night outside fails to soothe the storm within. Her body hurts from the emotional and physical fights she has engaged in. Though she doesn't let it show, her hands shake slightly. She is far gone; she cannot stop now.Noah is standing next to her; his presence acts as a stabilizer. Though he is silent, she can see the same turbulence in his gaze. Even after the conflict ends, the scars remain. They both are aware of that. Neither of them is the same person who entered the fight several months ago."We can do this, Rachel," Noah replies gently as if trying the words and considering their sincerity. "Together." Her heart twisted, and Rachel turned toward him. She wants to believe it. She does, although the uncertainties still exist. Suppose the past is too difficult to overcome? What if their survival comes at too high a cost?"I'm not s
Last Updated: 2025-03-12
Chapter: Rising Tension CHAPTER 85: RISING TENSION Noah's face looks drawn and tired as he walks into the living room, and Rachel can sense the irritation in his eyes. She knows the conversation is approaching even though they have dodged it for days. Indeed, neither of them is good, not yet.Noah replies, his voice laden with the unspoken thoughts between them, "We need to talk."Trying to calm her racing heart, Rachel inhales deeply. "Regarding what?"Rachel, about us. Regarding what's next. His eyes meet hers, begging for some response to help them make sense of the anarchy around them.Rachel bites hard. "I have no idea, Noah. I don't know whether I am capable of doing this.Noah approaches, his hand extended towards hers. "Do we have any option here? We have far to go, but I am not giving up on us right now.She jerks her hand back, the agony from the past several days rising. "It goes beyond just us, Noah." It is much more than that. The past, the falsehoods, resurfaced. I cannot simply let go.Noah's
Last Updated: 2025-03-12
Chapter: Healing Wounds CHAPTER 84: HEALING WOUNDS Noah's voice disturbs the quiet, raw and forceful. "Rachel, we are still here. Still living is us. It is just that which counts. Though Rachel knows the truth, his eyes flutter with a weary will. Though the fight is not finished, they have survived the worst of it. Not for their use.She suffers anxiety, terrified of what lies ahead, of the unknown road. She fears losing Noah to the dark place the war has brought them and losing herself in the mending process. The intensity of their connection is evident when their eyes lock. The only thing that feels definite and keeps them anchored is their link.Reaching for his hand, Rachel softly squeezes it to try to express everything she experiences with one touch. Her voice quakes as she talks; her words are more brittle than she wishes them to be. " Ah, I'm not sure where to start going ahead. I have no idea what to do anymore.Noah's hold gets tighter, and for a split second, she senses the unspoken promise betwe
Last Updated: 2025-03-12
Chapter: The Final PriceCHAPTER 83: THE FINAL PRICE The Sinclairs, their falsehoods, and their decisions have cornered them. One watches every movement they do. Every word counts. Rachel senses the pressure pressing in on her, strangling her, but only one road remains."You know what we have to do, right?" Noah asks, his voice hardly audible but cutting through the suspense like a razor. He glances not at her. His eyes are locked on the door leading to the future, towards the last confrontation—the one they wanted to avoid and the one they had ready.Rachel bites hard, her throat dry. His words weigh heavily, laden with understanding what is at risk. She doubts her readiness for this, from what is implied here. She does not, however, have options. Right now, she cannot back down.Though the words never come from her mouth, Rachel feels she must save him. They are not required, of course. She can feel Noah staring at her without looking. They both are in this, whatever the expense.Rachel moves deliberately
Last Updated: 2025-03-12
Chapter: The Final Confrontation CHAPTER 82: THE FINAL CONFRONTATION Beside her, Noah's presence acts as a counterpoint. Though he is staring ahead at the home, his jaw shows no discernible movement. Though he is here with her, dedicated to the cause, his muscles stiffen as if he is getting ready for a blow. "Ready?" he asks, his voice low as their goal weighs down both.Rachel nods even if her insides are turning over. She knows the weight of the choice; the stakes are too significant. They have battled for so long only to reach this pivotal point where everything can collapse or unite. It has never been more apparent to see that this is the moment they have been battling for—the one either saving or destroying them. Errors have no place in this. Every action has value.Their footsteps resound in the darkness, the home standing before them like a fortitude as they go on. Here is where everything will change. Not now is there any turning back.But a piercing voice cuts across the silence just as they are ready to ap
Last Updated: 2025-03-12
The Unexpected Proposal
Elizabeth had her entire future planned: a perfect proposal to Alex on Valentine’s Day, followed by a dream getaway to the Maldives. But her carefully crafted fantasy shatters when she catches Alex, her longtime boyfriend, in the arms of his assistant.
Heartbroken and furious, Elizabeth storms out, only to make a spur-of-the-moment decision that changes her life forever. In her desperation to prove she’s moved on, she impulsively slips her engagement ring onto a stranger’s finger—Simeon, a charismatic and mysterious man who unexpectedly says, “I do.”
As their whirlwind fake marriage begins, Elizabeth soon discovers Simeon isn’t just any stranger—he’s Alex’s boss. Now, she’s caught in a storm of emotions, power plays, and unexpected feelings. While Simeon’s charm pulls her in, Alex isn’t ready to let her go, leading to a battle of love, loyalty, and redemption.
Can Elizabeth untangle the mess of her broken heart and impulsive choices? Or will her impromptu marriage to Simeon turn into something more real than she ever imagined?
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Chapter: Alex’s Last PleaCHAPTER 11: ALEX’S LAST PLEAThis is his last turn, his last opportunity to rectify the harm he has done and straighten things out.He fixes his gaze at the door, the heavy wood separating him from all she has lost. His stomach gets contracted. Though he has been here many times, he has never been like this. As the seconds an eternity, his heart thumps in his chest.He knocks at last. He flinches since the sound echoes louder than he could have predicted. He has no idea what he expects. She has been waiting for him to return so she can dash into his arms, tell him it will all be well and reassure him. Alternatively, he is preparing for the worst.The door opens creakingly.He initially notes her frigid, far-off eyes. Something he cannot place flickers momentarily, but it goes too fast."Elizabeth... "Before he can stop, his voice breaks. His words reveal him, and their quiver makes him feel less than he should be.Her lips push together in a narrow line, but her face is still unreadab
Last Updated: 2025-03-13
Chapter: Trap Is SetCHAPTER 10: THE TRAP IS SETElizabeth finds her breath freezing in her throat.Though silent, the penthouse is not quiet; one finds it soothing. It is incorrect, thick, and smothering.Her fingers curl into the sheets, and she sits slowly. The city's glow produces faint streaks of light across the drapes, even while the room's corners remain dark.After that, a sound.A slink of motion beyond her door.Her pulse leaps over her ribs. She listens; she hardly breathes sometimes. Additional creaks. The weight of feet on the hardwood flooring of the corridor.She is not here by herself.She swallows hard as she gently and silently swings her legs over the bed. She walks coldly on the floor under naked feet toward the door. The air seems too peaceful, weighted with something invisible waiting.She puts her palms out for the handle; shadows move.Her heartbeat pauses.Her nose smells of leather and sweat. A hand closes over her mouth before she can yell. An arm dragging her rear against a p
Last Updated: 2025-03-13
Chapter: Alex’s Breaking Point CHAPTER 9: ALEX’S BREAKING POINT The low murmur of discussion and the veil of cigarette smoke hardly let the faint brightness of the bar cut through. The air smells of stale bourbon and the bitter tang of sorrow clinging to Alex's skin. Nursing a half-empty glass of whiskey, his tie is unfastened, his sleeves rolled up, and his stance slumped on the high-backed stool.Again sip. The heat doesn't help him to dull the chest agony.His knuckles are white, and he grabs the glass tightly. Beside him, the newspaper is crumpled, its strong headline mocking him. Hastings Elizabeth Started working with Billionaire Simeon Blackwood.His stomach flips.It is a lie. It had to be.But the picture taken under it—the way she lets Simeon hold her, the way she stares at him—tells another tale.He swallows even another spoonful of whiskey while the fire scorches his throat.This is his fault.He went carelessly, stupidly. He let his needs and greed destroy the one decent thing in his life. She left no
Last Updated: 2025-03-13
Chapter: A Dangerous Game CHAPTER 8: A DANGEROUS GAME Tension hangs in the air like the promise of a storm. Simeon's office smells strongly like whiskey mixed with the thick leather of his chair. The metropolis lights behind him through the large glass windows, seemingly limitless into the night.Alex is standing close to the door, his fists closed, and his whole body expresses subdued anger. His perfect suit is flawless, but his demeanour is anything but. His eyes dart from Elizabeth to Simeon, landing on the man behind the desk like a cat weighing up its opponent.Trapped between them, Elizabeth senses their wrath weighing down on her. Her hands shake at her sides, but she locks her jaw to avoid appearing weak."What kind of twisted game are you engaged in?" Alex demands, his voice shrill like a whip breaking through the quiet.Simeon is still seated, fingers entwined, his face invisible. "I don't play games." Though his voice is smooth and somewhat bored, his eyes flash with something threatening. "I look
Last Updated: 2025-03-13
Chapter: Power Shift CHAPTER 7: THE POWER SHIFT The costly walnut desk in Alex's workplace receives morning sunshine slanting through the drapes. He looks not at all. His fingers hang over his phone, his coffee cannot reach him, and the newspaper opens before him.The firm, brutal headline flashes back at him.ELIZABETH HASTINGS ENGAGED TO BILLIONAIRE SIMEON BLACKWOOD!His chest constricts. His steady, leisurely breathing does nothing to calm the tempest building inside of me.Page after page, the pieces examine every element: their claimed whirlwind romance, the passionate kiss at the gala, the way Elizabeth's hand rested against Simeon's chest as though she belonged there.The front page mostly features a picture. Her fingers tightened inside his jacket as Simeon's lips brushed against hers. The globe thinks this. Hell, even the picture gives it a lifelike quality.Alex's hold gets tighter, the newspaper's edges crumpling under his fingertips."You okay, boss?"Kara's voice oozes with something too nea
Last Updated: 2025-03-13
Chapter: Dangerous YesCHAPTER 6: DANGEROUS YES Elizabeth's pulse beats in her ears as she sees Simeon turn the engagement ring between his fingers, the diamond catching the faint glow of the chandelier of the restaurant. He doesn't have any laughs. He has not laughed at all. Instead, an amused smile plays at the corner of his lips as though he has discovered a game far more interesting than the dinner before him."That's quite the proposal," he says, voice like aged whiskey, gaze fixed on hers with startling intensity.She pushes hard, her words returning to her like a stupid dare she hadn't anticipated being taken seriously. She stammers, reaching for the ring, then his fingers gently close around it with intentional ease. Forget it.He slants forward, elbows resting on the immaculate white tablecloth, every action under control. He says, "No," sliding the ring on his finger.Between them, the air gets tense.Elizabeth stiffens, fixed on the ring now pressing against his flesh. Her brain spins. This was
Last Updated: 2025-03-13
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