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City Lights and New Beginnings
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A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love A Quiet Morning Interrupted
CHARLOTTEIt had been two weeks and five days since my arrival in Los Angeles, and I spent most of my days sitting at my new favorite spot at the beach, listening to the waves, and watching people come and go. It started as a form of relaxation but soon morphed into a weird sense of nostalgia, and something I couldn’t quite label.Watching couples surf together reminded me of all the things I wanted to do while Rogerio and I were together. Watching parents run around with their kids, whose happy laughter filled the air, made me feel like I had lost something. But I was determined not to let my past ruin my enjoyment of the present. So, I stayed put and focused on why I was there: to breathe, to find myself, and to ensure I was in a different headspace so I could aptly prepare for other experiences.I didn’t want to be the architect of my misfortunes anymore, and I knew it would take a conscious effort to get to that point. When I wasn’t sitting next to the sea, I walked through the st
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love ROGERIO
ROGERIOYou’d think my problems would go away as quickly as I wished. Well, that would disprove the relationships beggars have with horses, wouldn’t it? My job, the upcoming wedding, my life in general; everything made me feel uncomfortable. Waking up meant I was saddled with the responsibility of living like a lab experiment, someone’s fun science project. Only, I wasn’t having any fun. The lab rats never do anyway.I disliked being here and perhaps taking the offer to be in charge of the family business was the worst decision I have ever made. On a personal scale at least, if I dared to look beyond my needs, I could understand why doing it was for the greater good. But how many of these greater good projects would I have to do before I can finally do something that I wanted?“Ironic, isn’t it? One would expect the richest billionaire in the city to be having the time of his life,” I said to myself and looked around the room.When my thoughts started to follow this path, it filled me
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love A Sudden Turn
ROGERIO“Stop the car,” I said, and the driver slowed down, parking on the side of the road. I exhaled and looked out of the window for a few minutes. Elena’s response to my question hadn’t been satisfactory, and I didn’t trust her to handle anything regarding Charlotte with any grace.I didn’t particularly care how life treated my ex-wife, but I didn’t want to be part of the problem either. I groaned and sighed in frustration. If I couldn’t get a good answer out of Elena, I had to go to the estate to see what the entire charade was about. At least for Maria’s sake, she would be happy to see me trying to resolve the issue. I heard the engine of the car carrying the bodyguards as they caught up with us and stared at me through the glass, waiting for instructions.When I left the house this morning, I was heading for the office to finish any work left from the weekend and prepare for the meeting scheduled for later that afternoon, but right now, I felt like it was important to deviate f
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love Chasing Shadows
ROGERIO“What do you mean she left? Are you saying that just to mess with me?” I asked, failing miserably to conceal my shock.“To what end? You’ve made a mess of everything already; there’s not much I can do in that regard, is there?” she replied, rolling her eyes and then closing them.I ran my hands through my hair and sighed. “Maria, I beg you, don’t play games with me. I don’t have time for that and I...” I uttered, but she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.“Some nerve you have to come here, wake me up just before dawn, and insinuate that I would waste my time going in circles with you,” she interrupted, shaking her head.“Why would she leave then? Where would she go? She has nowhere to go, no family...” I began to say, but Maria opened her eyes with a look of disgust crossing her face.“Was that why you let your family and everyone else treat her like crap? Because she has nowhere to go?” she sneered, and I swallowed, taken aback by her harsh tone.“Maria, that’s
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love Revelations in the Hallway
ROGERIO“Maria!” I yelled as she exited the room. My thoughts were scattered all over the place, and I wasn’t sure what to make of everything she had said. Charlotte had never mentioned she was pregnant, nor had she shown any symptoms to indicate anything in that regard, but to be fair, I wasn’t always at home.On the days I managed to stay indoors, I spent most of my time in the study, making as minimal contact as possible with her. Yes, we had our intimate moments during the first few months of our marriage, and I could remember a few times I had come back home drunk and woken up in bed with her, barely remembering the details of the previous night. Surely that wasn’t enough to… “Maria!” I yelled again and followed her.She turned around, and we locked gazes as a look of disapproval crossed her features. “There are people asleep in this house, Signor. You’d do well not to wake them up,” she said in a stern tone.“And you’d do well to answer my questions,” I uttered, lowering my tone
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love Behind the Facade
Elena“Sally!” I yelled, hoping the sound of music coming from above the deck would let her hear me, but she hadn’t sprinted here in her usual fashion. I knew it was pointless to keep calling out to her. Sally was the personal assistant my father had employed to practically follow me around since I returned from what he called my foolish decision to run off.I had come up with a story to explain my disappearance a few weeks before my wedding with Rogerio, but I knew that even if everyone else believed my tale of woe, he didn’t buy it. He had questions about the inability of his private investigators to find my location. Still, my mother had warned him to stop questioning me, stating that I had just gone through a traumatic experience and didn’t need to be interrogated.I knew getting my family to get off my back would be easy as pie. My main problem was getting Rogerio to accept me, but even that proved easier than I envisioned, which surprised and terrified me in a way. During the fi
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love Fate or Ruse?
Fate or Ruse?If the guests at The Hilton Hotel had been told that they would be pawns in what they assumed to be an elaborate scheme to affect the finances and credibility of the Mooze family, they would have steered clear of the establishment. Still, they could admit that no one can predict the events of the future.Never in a million years would they have considered the possibility of being held against their will in one of the most secure places in the city. Residents booked suites in the establishment due to the mere fact that it was renowned for being secure and fabulous. Now, most of them wish they had simply stayed home or tried making a reservation elsewhere.The tourists who had arrived in the city to experience the culture of the people quietly swore to never return if they made it out alive. Huddled together in an open space which appeared to be a hall used for various events, this wasn’t the holiday they were looking forward to.They sat in tense silence, apprehensive abo
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love Into the fire
CHARLOTTE“Why are they doing this?” I asked, though no one in particular. The intentions I had expressed a few minutes ago had dampened the mood further, and the tension was rife, almost tangible.I looked around, regretting my lack of tact. But given the circumstances, perhaps it was better for everyone to know the fate that awaited them. What surprised me was that no one moved from their positions or attempted to escape. I heard a few people sniffling and someone muttering what I assumed was a prayer. I turned to look at Thiago, who was still staring at the door as if expecting something different to happen at any moment.“These people you’re expecting. Do they understand the gravity of the situation?” I asked, glancing around once more. If he wasn’t bluffing, it might bring hope to everyone in the room. After heightening the tension, I desperately wanted to alleviate it.“I hope so, but they’ve taken too long to get here. I’m not so sure anymore,” he answered with a sigh.“So, we’
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A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love A Toast to Chaos
CHARLOTTEThe party had gone according to plan; everyone had a great time, and I was delighted to have pulled it off despite my initial doubts. It felt like, for the first time in a long while, something had gone according to plan without any hitches, and I was delighted to be part of it.As people filed out of the establishment, I settled into my office chair, sipping wine straight from the bottle. It felt like a small reward for a job well done. However, by the time I reached my second bottle, I knew leaving the office without stumbling over objects, or even people, was becoming increasingly unlikely.I giggled at the thought of falling over things, but knew it would be a terrible sight for everyone involved to watch their new manager embarrass herself because she couldn’t hold her alcohol. That was why I had stuck to drinking only a few glasses while the party was in full swing. Now that I was certain everyone had enjoyed themselves, it was time for my little celebration.When I le
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love A Cage of My Own Making
ROGERIOThe wind blew debris across the estate as I stepped out of the front door. I watched the gardener and another worker dash toward the trash bins, trying to gather the scattered pieces and secure them. Climbing into the car, I glanced back at the house one last time.Maria’s response lingered in my mind as the vehicle hummed to life. The driver guided us through the gates and into the bustling city center, a blur of movement and noise. My visit to Maria had been a dead end; she was hell-bent on keeping Charlotte’s whereabouts from me, and for good reason.I was certain Maria knew exactly where Charlotte was staying, but she’d made the same calculations I had. My confession hadn’t helped my case.I’d assumed that being honest with her would make her see reason, that she might even try to help me out of this impossible situation. But hope, as I’ve learned, is a fickle emotion— present one moment, gone the next. As soon as she started laughing, I knew I’d lost the fight completely.
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love Elena
ELENARogerio’s approach to planning the wedding had finally pushed me to the wall, so I decided to call his mother. My family had spent the last few weeks reminding me that I’d thrown away my chances with the Thuthai family the first time, and I had to ensure the wedding happened this time. They didn’t care if I had to grovel or beg to become the next Signora Thuthai; they simply wanted me to do whatever it took to get it done.I knew calling his mom was a power move. She wouldn’t entertain the flimsy excuses Rogerio had been giving me for not picking a date, and he’d be forced to do whatever she said. As I sat at my vanity table, doing my makeup for the dinner Rogerio and I were supposed to have tonight, I wondered if he’d detest me even more than he already did - or if he’d understand that I’d done what needed to be done.The door creaked open, and a head full of red hair peeked through. I blinked, confused. I’d been expecting my assistant and had already prepared a speech to addre
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love What You Wanted to Hear
ROGERIO“Hello, Rogerio,” the voice rang through the speaker, and my eyes flew open as I recognized who the speaker was. My mother rarely called. She was prone to making unannounced visits; a call meant that she had grown weary of the situation but couldn’t be bothered enough to make a trip.If it was important enough for her to make a call, there were two things attached to it. One, it needed to be urgently resolved. Two, she wouldn’t want to have the conversation again. I sat up and glanced around the room.I had taken the day off to schedule a meeting with Thiago, but he rescheduled, and I went home. It was a strange decision, an impulsive one, but I did it. The alternative was to go back to the office, then prepare for dinner with Elena, but I chose peace and quiet.“Hello, Mother, how’re you doing?” I replied and closed my eyes as she cleared her throat.“Were you asleep?” she asked, and I arched an eyebrow.“Why? You sound surprised,” I answered, trying to steady my nerves. I co
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love Shadows of Intent
CHARLOTTEWe spent the rest of the day shopping, and what I thought would be a tedious spree turned out to be unexpectedly delightful. It gave me a glimpse of Thiago in a completely different light. I’d seen him in many shades, commanding with his security personnel, thoughtful and kind, calm yet simmering with intensity. But this carefree, lighthearted side of him was new.He had Sonia and the other guards keep a respectful distance as we moved between stores, selecting outfits. Thiago would try on clothing, examine himself in the mirror, and eagerly ask for my feedback. I knew he valued honesty, so I gave it without hesitation.If something looked good, I told him; if it didn’t, I suggested a different color or style. He did the same when I modeled my picks, though it took me a little while to loosen up enough to show him.Each time I tried on a dress, skirt, or blouse, he offered playful yet sincere critiques that eased my nerves. By the end of the day, I was laughing at his exagge
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love THE OFFER SHE COULDN'T REFUSE
CHARLOTTE“I can’t take the job,” I said as soon as I stepped into the office. Thiago raised his head to meet my gaze and broke into a grin.“I knew you’d come,” he replied, standing up. “Sit. How are you feeling?”“I’m exhausted, and it’s not the type that comes from physical exertion. I can’t explain it, but I’m genuinely tired of everything,” I answered, sitting down.He returned to his seat and watched my expression for a moment before speaking.“I can’t say I understand how you feel, but I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by situations, especially those beyond our control. But I think you should take the job.”“Why? I don’t have any experience. I don’t know what it’s like to run a business, and I don’t have a degree that would give me the foundation to pull it off either. What’s the point?” I replied, throwing my hands up in frustration.When we left the apartment, Sonia had tried to convince me to take the job. I had been considering it during the ride here, but when I st
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love The Offer I Never Asked For
CHARLOTTEMy eyes flew open when I heard a knock on the door, and I realized that I had fallen asleep on the couch. The empty bottle of wine lay on the floor next to my feet, and my head throbbed as the events of the previous night flashed through my mind. “Come in,” I called out, and the door opened.Two guards stepped into the room, carrying a large frame covered with a white film. I immediately sat up as they looked around, trying to figure out where to place it. Sonia walked into the room and pointed to a corner; they made their way there and carefully placed the frame on the floor before leaving as quietly as they had come in.“Good morning, Signora,” Sonia muttered, her eyes glancing around the room and resting on the bottle. “You look pale,” she added, and I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth.“Hello, Sonia. You look like you’ve come to make my life a living hell,” I replied, and she laughed.“You only think that because you’ve been drinking again— a little too much
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love CHARLOTTE
CHARLOTTEI walked towards the elevator with slow, steady steps. The evening had ended on a calm note, and I was happy to be alone with my thoughts. The last thing I needed was a conversation with Sonia, or anyone else in particular.I simply wanted to walk into the apartment, take off my dress, and get into bed. I pressed the button on the wall, and the elevator doors slid open. As I stepped inside, I heard someone call my name and turned around to see Thiago walking towards me.I resisted the urge to groan and held the doors until he reached where I stood. I was just celebrating not having to talk to anyone, only to have the one person I absolutely had to talk to walk up to me.“I thought you had left,” I said as he stepped into the elevator.“Yes, but we had to turn around. I left something important in one of the apartments, and…” He reached into his pocket. “I wanted to give you this,” he finished, handing me a small black box.“What is it?” I asked, staring at the box intently.
A Chance At Forever: Chasing His Divorced Love A Night of Surprises
CHARLOTTE“You don’t have to go there, you know. I know a…” he started to say as I stared at the card in my hand. It was a black business card that had an address and Tiana’s name printed on the back.“Where is this?” I asked, studying the card curiously.“It’s Tiana’s favorite restaurant, one of her favorites to be fair,” he answered, and I smiled. “Don’t pay her any attention; she’s a nosy brat,” he said with feigned annoyance, and I chuckled because I could tell that, as much as he acted like he didn’t want her in his business, it wasn’t hard to see that he still adored her.“I want to go. I like your cousin,” I said, running my fingers across the edge of the card.“I was afraid you’d say that,” he replied and shook his head. “She’d be delighted to hear that. I have to warn you, though. When Tee sets her mind on something, she doesn’t stop till she’s achieved it.”I turned to him and arched an eyebrow. “What could she possibly have her mind set on by offering me a card to one of he
