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Denial
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2024-10-30 12:59:58Related chapters
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Denial
Mason immediately regretted his outburst. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to take a deep breath. Yelling at her wasn't going to fix a damn thing."I'm.sorry," he said.Sighing at her silence, he gently took her hand again."Listen to me, your real brother... he would never do this to you, and that criminal is not him."Gianna's lips began to tremble again as she locked eyes on his face."And regarding that transplant," Mason continued,"He did have leukemia, but the whole thing about you donating your bone marrow was bullshit.Those doctors, if you can even call them that, kept you doped up on drugs to make you believe you were going through the donation process. It was all so he wouldn't blow his cover after you already found out he was sick. He got his transplant from his little sister. So you've got no relation to him, Gianna. None."Gianna recalled the photo of the little girl she'd seen in his room that day. So that was his actual sister? More tears coursed down he
Last Updated : 2024-10-31A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract The Promise
Sloan grunted in agreement, then turned to the young officer hovering nearby. "Pull everything we've got on victim number four. I want it on my desk in an hour."When the officer scurried off to comply, Sloan started to turn back towards the main room, where he now saw Mason. There were several other eyes that recognized Mason also glancing in his direction."You were just here this morning," the detective noted as he swept his hand in the direction of his office, taking the lead while Mason followed behind him.When they were in the privacy of the office, he gestured for Mason to take a seat in one of the chairs facing his desk."She told me something new today, Mason started, causing Sloan's interest to sharpen."She said she received a text that foretold the attack. I had my team recover it from her phone."He then pulled out the phone from his jacket, tapped the screen a few times, and then held it out for Sloan to see.He read the message displayed there."It could mean t
Last Updated : 2024-10-31A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Back Home
FOURTEEN DAYS LATERCLANG! A pot lid hit the floor, spinning like a drunken ballerina before coming to rest against the refrigerator.“Shit!” Mason hissed, hopping on one foot as he nursed his stubbed toe. He glared accusingly at the cookware, then at the kitchen which was in a state of mess. There were pots and pans of varying sizes littering every surface in that space. Something also seemed to be burning on the stovetop, while the microwave hummed ominously in its own corner. Mason’s usually immaculate appearance was going to be a story for another day because now he and his apron were doused in a decoration of sauce, flour, cheese, and whatnot.Gianna was getting discharged and finally coming back home. Mason had heard her mention to Sonia about missing home-cooked food, and probably what he understood as that, was food-prepared-by-Mason. He even gave the chefs a day off.Mason squinted at the cookbook propped open on the counter.“Fold in the quirked cheese….what the fuck does
Last Updated : 2024-11-01A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Blockbuster
She woke up to a fuzzy brain, in the middle of the night. Her body hadn’t yet recognized that she was back home until Gianna took a disoriented look around the room, and then at Sonia who was snoring away beside her. Her stomach injury wasn’t hurting as much as it used to, which didn’t cause any hassle while she got out of bed and headed for the door. Out in the hallway, it was normally quiet. And even her light sigh as she shut the door seemed loud in the space. Up ahead, Gianna noticed a light spilling out in the dimness from under one of the doors and so she curiously headed in that direction.Mason was hunched over something in his lap, on the couch he was sitting in, as Gianna opened the door gently. He turned, then sat up. There was a first aid kit lying open on the coffee table in front of him. “You're up,” he gruffly and she made a “mhm” sound as she came in and closed the door again behind her.“Are you hurt?”“It's nothing. Just a little scratch.”Still, she perched herse
Last Updated : 2024-11-01A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Sentence
“Your Honor, members of the jury, the prosecution has presented irrefutable evidence of the defendant's guilt. Bernie Gad stands accused of multiple serious felonies, including First, the impersonation of a Mr Finn Waters (who has not yet been identified), deceiving not only the victim, Gianna Caldwell, but also manipulating various institutions and individuals in perpetuating this fraud.Second, the systematic stalking of Ms. Maxwell over a period of several months, as corroborated by digital evidence, eyewitness accounts, and the defendant's own possessions seized during the investigation.Third, three counts of first-degree murder: the premeditated killings of Marjorie Hoffman, Sarah Patel, and Thomas Reilly Forensic evidence links Mr. Gad to each of these crime scenes conclusively.Finally, the attempted murder of Gianna Maxwell, a crime thwarted only by the timely intervention of law enforcement. The prosecution contends that these actions were not isolated incidents, but part of
Last Updated : 2024-11-02A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Call for Help
She whirled around to see Jim, her old neighbor from the studio apartment days, decked out in a guard's uniform. What a small world.“Jim,” she breathed, gazing at him from head to toe. He used to be something close to a friend back then, but she didn’t get to see him anymore after….meeting Mason.“What are you doing here?” He asked as he came closer, then glanced at the other guy.“I, uh...I need to see an inmate," Gianna answered.“She's asking for 689,” the guard told Jim, whose eyebrow hiked up to his hairline. “The new guy?”Gianna nodded, seizing on the crack in their united front. “Please, Jim, can you help me out? I can’t wait till the next 12 hours. I won't take long.”Jim scratched his head, then dropped the hand and shoved it into his pocket. “Gianna, that's not how this works. There’s no visitor allowed until 1 pm. Let alone new inmates who can't have visitors yet.”He asked, “How do you know him though? Related to him?”“…to a friend…I'm related to a friend who’s the r
Last Updated : 2024-11-02A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Accusation
Dead.Did they just say Bernie was dead? Gianna had every muscle in her body seizing up in shock. She froze and stared, with lips coming slowly agape, how the final shudder ran through his wiry frame before he went completely still. And his death rattle seemed to echo for moments longer.A hysterical bubble of bitter laughter nearly popped into her chest when she watched them carry him out of her sight.Of fucking course this would happen. Just when she'd been on the verge of finally getting some answers, her only source of hope had given up the ghost right in front of her eyes.Gianna didn't realize she was shaking until she looked down and saw her pale hands trembling. The cold sweat beading along her hairline made her shocky. Managing to drag herself out of that building she didn’t notice the man approaching her until his voice pierced the static fuzz in her brain.“Why the hell are you here?” Her throat worked uselessly, the syllables lodging behind her teeth and refusing to bud
Last Updated : 2024-11-03A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Breakdown
She was shouting now. “I just wanted to know about my brother! He was the only one who had answers, the only one who could tell me what happened to Finn. And now he's gone, and I'm still in the dark, and you...you…”She broke off, her chest heaving with great, gulping sobs.“Would it make any sense for me to kill him? Would I be that fucking stupid, to throw away my only chance at finding out the truth?”The officer stared at her for a tense moment. Then, with a sigh, he pushed back from the table and rose to his feet. “Miss Caldwell, I'm going to need you to calm down.”She dropped her head on the table as she squeezed her eyes shut and tight. She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't keep fighting, keep struggling and keep clawing her way through the unending nightmare that her life had become. She was tired.The man who could provide the answers she so desperately needed was gone. And not just gone, but murdered. Murdered. Because that's what it had to be, wasn’t it? There was n
Last Updated : 2024-11-04
Latest chapter
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Day’s Surprise
Cufflinks clicked; wristwatch secured firmly around his wrist. He turned from the mirror, grabbed his office bag, and headed out of the door. Downstairs. The scent of coffee welcomed him before reaching the door of the staircase, as well as the sound of Gianna humming from the kitchen. She stood at the counter, hair swept into a messy bun, wearing one of his t-shirts that drowned her small frame. Her hips swayed slightly as she moved between the coffee maker and stove, where something sizzled in a pan. “Don't burn whatever that is,” he teased, making her turn around.“Morning?” She sang.Gianna raised the spatula she was holding like a weapon.“I'm making that egg white omelet thing you like. Though I might have killed it.”Mason walked over to where she was, smiling warmly.“Save it for some other morning,” he said, then reached past her to turn off the burner. “I'll grab something at the office.”Gianna pouted playfully at the nearly burnt egg, then shifted her face into a grin j
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Friends In Need
Glass shattered. In Gianna's chest. It wasn’t from pain, but from joy pulsing in her body. She called Mason, and watched the phone ring, all the while thinking she was going to spill the beans too soon. A secret this big felt like trying to hold sunshine in her palms.“Hey, beautiful. Called you earlier.”Her heart did another odd little skip. “I must have missed it when I was helping Sonia at the store.”“Just called to tell you I won't be home tonight.”“No?”“Sonia's got this massive project deadline. She needs an extra pair of hands, maybe extra eyes too. So we might pull an all-nighter.”“At the store?” Mason asked.“No, we're heading to her place. She's got all the materials there.”“I could stop by on my way home. Maybe bring you both dinner?”“Aww, thank you love.”“Alright. See you soon,” he said, “I love you.”“I love you too.” Those words, at least, were pure truth.The call ended, and Gianna let out a breath that felt like she'd been holding it since the doctor first sai
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Unexpected News
Colin flicked through the portfolio on his tablet. "So, Mr. Caldwell, what are your thoughts on our talent pool?”Colin's mouth quirked a bit as he zoomed in on one particular headshot. “Let's be honest here, Morton. Half of these profiles read like badly written dating app bios.” He turned the tablet around, displaying a black-and-white photo. “This one, for instance. ‘Born to command the stage’, yet his only credited role is as Tree Number Three in a community theater production of Macbeth.”The man's smile flickered but held still. “Ah, yes, well, Marcus is still developing his portfolio, but his raw talent—“Colin slid the tablet back to himself. “It’s about as raw as sushi that's been blowtorched. Listen, I'm not here to invest in potential. I'm here to invest in proven marketability. Though I have to admit that your photography team does excellent work.”“Perhaps we could focus on some of our more established talents? Page twelve has—““Already there,” Colin interrupted Morto
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Back in the day
“Are you lost?” Gianna asked, and when the boy nodded slowly, she pursed her lips slightly.She reached out slowly, telegraphing her movement before gently patting his shoulder. “Hey, it's going to be okay. Would you like to come with me? We can go to the police station, and they'll help us find your parents.”Tommy took a half-step back with uncertainty.“Mom says not to go with strangers.”Gianna smiled, nodding approvingly. “And she's absolutely right. But right now, you're out here alone, and it's not safe.”She then pulled out her phone to show it to him. “Look, I can call the police right now, and you can talk to them yourself. Would that make you feel better?”He considered this with his small face scrunched in thought. “Can...you show me your badge first?”“My badge?”“Like the police have. To prove you're good.”Gianna stifled a chuckle. “I'm not a police officer, but I have my driver's license. That's like a badge that says I'm allowed to drive. Would you like to see it?”
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract On Darkened Streets
Click, clack, went Olivia’s heels as she approached. She was dressed in a peach colored gown whose length was barely past her ass. When she spotted Mason where he sat ahead, she smiled predatorily and twiddled her fingers in a coy wave at him. She slid into the seat opposite Mason.“Cool spot,” she purred as she crossed her legs. Now, her dark eyes swept the conspicuously deserted space which looked like some sort of cafe, but it had been emptied of anyone save them.“Without wasting my time, how much do you want?” Mason asked icily.Her eyes twitched subtly, amusement playing at the corners of her mouth. “For what?”“To shut your mouth."Oh?" She leaned forward and rested elbows on the table.“So we're going to stick to keeping secrets?” She whispered.Mason kept his srare arctic and unmoved. The muscle in his jaw ticked visibly.“Don't do that,” Olivia chided, as if scolding a child. “All cold shell on the outside, but we both know how warm you are underneath.”Her tongue darted
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Shopwork
“A tale of forbidden love and ancient curses,'" Gianna read aloud from the dust jacket as she wrinkled her nose. And then she cleaned the book before wedging it between two equally dramatic-looking tomes on the mahogany shelf:Gianna shifted her weight on the rolling ladder.The next book in her stack had a more promising premise— something about time-traveling archaeologists. “Now this seems interesting,” she murmured, adding it to her mental might-actually-read list before finding it a home in the sci-fi section.Dust motes continued to dance around in the afternoon light streaming through the tall windows, to give the whole scene a dreamy quality. The scent of old paper and leather bindings mixed with the cinnamon-apple candle Sonia had lit earlier.Speaking of Sonia... Gianna shot a glare towards her best friend's office. Sonia had called Gianna on the phone that morning, claiming she wanted to take her on a treat. Gianna was also eager for the date because she thought it woul
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Dilemma
THUD.Mason forcefully slammed his fist into the punching bag. The impact reverberated through his wrapped knuckles like an echo of the chaos in his mind.‘Tell her,’ came a voice in his head.THUD. THUD.‘Keep your mouth shut,’ said another voice.CRACK.The bag swung wildly as he continued jabbing; sweat dripped from his chin, dropping down to the rug under his feet. He could see his own reflection in the wall-length mirror, with chest heaving, muscles coiling tight and face twisting in a grimace.He looked exactly like what he was: a man being eaten alive by his own secrets. The bag took another punishment as he drove his right fist into it. The chain rattled overhead like mocking laughter.‘Don't tell her, and let Olivia hold the sword over both your heads. Let her play puppet master until she gets bored or cruel or both,’ the voice in his head warned again.“Fuck!” Mason bellowed from his lungs as he landed a last hook. The bag swung back at him like a pendulum of judgment, and h
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract A Hit Near Home
“You're Martha Winters, right?”The old woman's fingers stilled on the counter, her eyes tracking Gianna's hand like a cat watching a mouse hole. “Yes…. Is there some problem?”Digging a hand into her handbag, Gianna replied, “Not exactly…”She then took out a piece of paper and placed it in front of the woman. “I received a package recently. The sender used this phone number, which, according to my sources, belongs to you.”Martha regarded Gianna more skeptically now, patting her dress pockets for her reading glasses. She wiped the glasses with her dress before putting them on. As soon as the rims were on her nose, she bent forward to examine the paper.Gianna studied the woman's face intently the whole time. Could this woman be closely related to Finn? And if not Finn, the imposter? Gianna tried grasping onto too many things at the same time.Martha straightened, pushing her glasses up into her silver hair.“I think there must be some kind of mistake. I haven't sent any packages t
A Million-Dollar Marriage: A Story Of Heart Over Contract Crazy Dealings
“You're a crazy woman, Olivia,” Mason answered with disgust. “You need psychiatric help. And this is your last warning to stay away from me.”A soft, malicious laugh trickled through the phone. "“Or what? I'll tell your precious Gianna that her dear husband spent the night at my place. How do you think she'll take that news?”Mason's hand clenched around the phone until his knuckles nearly blanched white. The pressure in his chest built until he thought his ribs might crack from containing it. His jaw worked silently as he stared straight ahead through the windshield, watching a pair of sparrows dart past the morning sky with an almost painful intensity. Seconds stretched like pulled taffy. His left eye twitched—once, twice.The silence must have made Olivia nervous because her voice came again, softer this time and almost conciliatory. “I will keep this a secret on one condition.”“Don't run from me….Don't refuse me. Let me prove my love for you. I’ll prove I'm better. I can show
