Chapter 54: A Web of Secrets"Why now, Lily? Why tell me this now?" My voice was steady, but the storm raging inside me was far from calm. Lily leaned back in the chair across from me, a smirk playing on her lips. It was a game to her—everything always was. She thrived on chaos, pulling strings and watching everyone else dance. But this time, I wouldn’t be her puppet."You should be thanking me, Lila," she said, swirling her wineglass like it held all the answers. "After all, I’m giving you what you’ve been begging for—closure.""Closure?" I repeated, the word bitter in my mouth. "You think spilling another one of your lies will give me closure?"Her smirk faltered, just for a moment, before she leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "It’s not a lie, and you know it. You’ve always known."I gripped the edge of the table, my nails digging into the wood. "You don’t get to rewrite history, Lily. Not this time. Not when so much is at stake."She laughed—a hollow, mirthless sound. "Rewrite h
Chapter 55: The Court SummonsI stared at the papers in my trembling hands, my heart pounding as if it wanted to escape my chest. **A court summons?** My eyes skimmed over the legal jargon, trying to make sense of it, but all I could see was my name printed in bold letters at the top. Lila Vitale. Summoned. My breath hitched as my mind raced through possibilities. **What was this about? What had Lily done now?** A gust of wind swept through the open doorway, rustling the pages. I forced myself to focus, but my hands were shaking too hard to hold them steady. I needed answers. **Now.** I grabbed my phone and dialed the only person who might have a clue—Lucien. He picked up on the second ring. “Lila?” His voice was sharp with concern. “What’s wrong?” “I just got served,” I said, barely recognizing my own voice. “A court summons.” Silence. Then, “What?” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I don’t know what it’s about. The papers… they just arrived. Someone knocked, hand
Chapter 56: Shadows official The weight of the summons hadn’t left me. It clung to my thoughts, a dark cloud overshadowing everything. The words on that crisp legal paper were burned into my mind. *Lila Vitale, you are hereby summoned to appear in court…* But for what? I sat at my kitchen table, the dim glow of the overhead light doing little to comfort me. My fingers traced the edge of the envelope, my mind racing. I needed answers. And I knew exactly who would have them. Lily. She was behind this—I felt it in my bones. This was her counterstrike, her way of retaliating before I could expose her. The game had officially escalated. Before I could dwell on it further, my phone vibrated. Lucien. I exhaled, steadying myself before answering. “Lucien.” His voice was tense. “Did you get served?” My stomach twisted. “You too?” “Yes.” A beat of silence. “Lila, it’s a lawsuit. Lily is suing us for defamation.” A bitter laugh escaped me. “Defamation? She stole from the compa
Chapter 57: The Cost of Deception** The courthouse loomed before me, a cold, imposing structure that matched the sinking feeling in my stomach. I tightened my grip on the summons, the paper now crumpled from the tension in my hands. Lily had always been cunning, always one step ahead. But dragging me into a legal battle? That was a new low—even for her. Lucien's hand brushed against mine as we walked up the courthouse steps. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, his voice low. I squared my shoulders. "I don’t have a choice." Inside, the sterile walls and the low hum of conversation did little to settle my nerves. My lawyer, Vivian Harper, was already waiting for me outside the hearing room. She was sharp, no-nonsense, and one of the best. If anyone could untangle Lily’s latest mess, it was her. "You ready?" Vivian asked, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "As I’ll ever be." The courtroom was nearly empty, just a judge, the court clerk, and Lily sitting across f
•CHAPTER ONE•A wedding to undo.. Frozen in shock, I felt my eyes turning on their own with my breath caught in my throat. The room's warmth were no where to be found and all it was replaced with were the icy chills that seeped mercilessly into my bones.Could anything be more shattering and nightmarish than stumbling upon a shocking truth exactly three days to your wedding?..Just when the wedding you've been dreaming of is less than 72 hours away!!!!!!My hands quivered as I stared at the lines in the letter I was holding.‘Since we couldn't afford to pay our debts, we've agreed to your alternative proposal – Give out our only daughter's hand in marriage to you. However, we need to deceive her into thinking she's marrying your son. She'ld never consent to marry someone of your age sir. I know you have no son but getting pictures of someone young and handsome will do. All we have to do is declare his false trip and convince her that he'll be coming home on the agreed wedding day’T
•CHAPTER TWO•Confronting the aftermath I guess ‘bumping or getting into an accident with someone understanding’ should be a prayer on its own..‘Cause..I'd really been apologising for the past three minutes but this tall arrogant dude wasn't ready to let go..“Does it look like I care? When you knew how weak your financial strength is, why didn't you drive like a normal person? You're getting me a new car and that's final else I will charge this case to court” he threatened and for some seconds i was in awe..For Pete's sake, the worst thing that happened to his car is the damage of his full light bulb and now…. court?!!What has it gotten to do with that?...I sighed in frustration. “I just told you I'm sorry, can we please talk about fixing this. I can't afford a new car and this is not a crime, anyone gets into an accident” .. I was really getting pissed but trying hard to remain calm.“Well, disobeying the traffic rules is a crime” he retorted.I scoffed.“If you aren't con
•CHAPTER THREE•Fiercely determined.. For the first time since morning, I turned on my phone, falling heavily on my bed to release my tears as I got to my room.Everything had happened so fast..So damn fast.Losing my marriage and virginity within twenty four hours was something I wouldn't have believed if I was told a day before..But then, it's all for good right?..“Adeline, you can't do this..” Mum walked in and i sighed.“I don't want to disrespect you mum, please leave” I muttered from where I was laid while the phone began beeping repeatedly.Annoying notifications…. Well I expected them anyway.“You are not leaving this house, are you?” her voice portrayed both fear and worry.I scoffed, sitting up. “Are you seriously asking me that?” I demanded bluntly.“Adele, your brother isn't in town and you know it. How do you expect us to be fine without having any of our children around? Consider my feelings please” mum pleaded. She couldn't dare scold me for what I did ’cause
•CHAPTER FOUR•Unexpected encounter..YEARS LATER.. Time flew faster than one's imagination and six years swung by as a blur..It's been six years since I walked away from it all and began a new life void of any dictatorship. The best thing I could whip out of my past was to channel all the hurt and disappointment into work, and here I was with a skyrocketing secretarial duty.“Mummy, it's my birthday!” Reid's scream over the phone made me cover my ears and chuckle.Right.. I had a five year old son – the product of my nightstand with Mr. arrogant whom I'd never met since we got intimate.. I could vividly remember, confirming my pregnancy six years ago was like a nightmare..‘I’m just trying to cope in a new country and now, a pregnancy?’ Those were the exact words I said to the doctor when he broke the news of my pregnancy… “You can't cope with this job like this, you're heavily pregnant and your consistent sleep makes your work so unprofessional..” Those were the words tha
Chapter 57: The Cost of Deception** The courthouse loomed before me, a cold, imposing structure that matched the sinking feeling in my stomach. I tightened my grip on the summons, the paper now crumpled from the tension in my hands. Lily had always been cunning, always one step ahead. But dragging me into a legal battle? That was a new low—even for her. Lucien's hand brushed against mine as we walked up the courthouse steps. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, his voice low. I squared my shoulders. "I don’t have a choice." Inside, the sterile walls and the low hum of conversation did little to settle my nerves. My lawyer, Vivian Harper, was already waiting for me outside the hearing room. She was sharp, no-nonsense, and one of the best. If anyone could untangle Lily’s latest mess, it was her. "You ready?" Vivian asked, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "As I’ll ever be." The courtroom was nearly empty, just a judge, the court clerk, and Lily sitting across f
Chapter 56: Shadows official The weight of the summons hadn’t left me. It clung to my thoughts, a dark cloud overshadowing everything. The words on that crisp legal paper were burned into my mind. *Lila Vitale, you are hereby summoned to appear in court…* But for what? I sat at my kitchen table, the dim glow of the overhead light doing little to comfort me. My fingers traced the edge of the envelope, my mind racing. I needed answers. And I knew exactly who would have them. Lily. She was behind this—I felt it in my bones. This was her counterstrike, her way of retaliating before I could expose her. The game had officially escalated. Before I could dwell on it further, my phone vibrated. Lucien. I exhaled, steadying myself before answering. “Lucien.” His voice was tense. “Did you get served?” My stomach twisted. “You too?” “Yes.” A beat of silence. “Lila, it’s a lawsuit. Lily is suing us for defamation.” A bitter laugh escaped me. “Defamation? She stole from the compa
Chapter 55: The Court SummonsI stared at the papers in my trembling hands, my heart pounding as if it wanted to escape my chest. **A court summons?** My eyes skimmed over the legal jargon, trying to make sense of it, but all I could see was my name printed in bold letters at the top. Lila Vitale. Summoned. My breath hitched as my mind raced through possibilities. **What was this about? What had Lily done now?** A gust of wind swept through the open doorway, rustling the pages. I forced myself to focus, but my hands were shaking too hard to hold them steady. I needed answers. **Now.** I grabbed my phone and dialed the only person who might have a clue—Lucien. He picked up on the second ring. “Lila?” His voice was sharp with concern. “What’s wrong?” “I just got served,” I said, barely recognizing my own voice. “A court summons.” Silence. Then, “What?” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I don’t know what it’s about. The papers… they just arrived. Someone knocked, hand
Chapter 54: A Web of Secrets"Why now, Lily? Why tell me this now?" My voice was steady, but the storm raging inside me was far from calm. Lily leaned back in the chair across from me, a smirk playing on her lips. It was a game to her—everything always was. She thrived on chaos, pulling strings and watching everyone else dance. But this time, I wouldn’t be her puppet."You should be thanking me, Lila," she said, swirling her wineglass like it held all the answers. "After all, I’m giving you what you’ve been begging for—closure.""Closure?" I repeated, the word bitter in my mouth. "You think spilling another one of your lies will give me closure?"Her smirk faltered, just for a moment, before she leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "It’s not a lie, and you know it. You’ve always known."I gripped the edge of the table, my nails digging into the wood. "You don’t get to rewrite history, Lily. Not this time. Not when so much is at stake."She laughed—a hollow, mirthless sound. "Rewrite h
Chapter 53 – The Time is HereI sat on the edge of my bed, gripping my phone so tightly my fingers ached. The screen remained dark. No new messages. No missed calls. Just silence. The same deafening silence that had followed me for five years. Reid lay beside me, curled up in his blanket, his tiny face peaceful. If only I could close my eyes and make time stop. But I couldn’t. Because I knew that sooner or later, the questions would come. And this time, I wouldn’t have answers. Lucien was back. And worse—he was looking for us. My chest tightened as I forced myself to breathe. I had done everything right. I had disappeared, started a new life, given Reid as normal a childhood as possible. But it hadn’t been enough. A sharp knock at the door made my pulse leap. I turned toward the clock. **11:47 PM.** My body went rigid. Who the hell would come here this late? I glanced at Reid. He was still fast asleep, his small hands gripping his blanket. I inhaled deeply before slidi
Chapter 52 – A Reckoning BeginsI sat on the edge of the motel bed, gripping my phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white. The eviction, the humiliation, the sheer cruelty of it all—it played in a loop in my mind like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. Reid was curled up beside me, his tiny arms wrapped around his stuffed bear, his face peaceful despite the turmoil we had just been thrown into. My son, my baby, had been dragged out of the only home he’d ever known. He had looked up at me, his eyes wide with fear, asking if we were in trouble. We were. And it was all because of Sarah Donalds. I inhaled sharply, trying to steady my trembling hands. No, this wasn’t just her. This was bigger than Sarah. Someone had pushed her to do this, to strip me of everything. And I had a feeling I knew exactly who it was. Lucien. The name alone sent a cold shiver down my spine. I had done everything to stay off his radar, yet here I was, homeless, carless, forced into a rundown m
Chapter 51: looming Decision I stared at the blank email on my laptop screen, the cursor blinking impatiently, mocking me. This was it. I had to do something. If I didn’t, everything I had built for myself and Reid would crumble. But the truth? It was heavy—too heavy to be put into words. The sound of Reid laughing in the next room jolted me back to the present. His carefree joy was a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me. Nanny Precious must’ve cracked one of her silly jokes. I smiled faintly, but it didn’t last. My mind drifted back to the looming decision in front of me. The knock on the door came without warning, startling me. My pulse quickened. No one ever visited unannounced, not here. I glanced at the clock. It was past 8 p.m. I moved cautiously toward the door, my heartbeat loud in my ears. Peering through the peephole, I froze. It was Sarah. What was she doing here? She was the last person I wanted to see, especially after the stunt she pulled with the hou
Chapter 50: The Sound of my Mother's voice The moment I opened the front door, I froze. My heart skipped a beat as I locked eyes with the figure standing at the threshold. It wasn’t Alex this time. It was someone I hadn’t seen in years, someone I thought I’d left behind when I chose to disappear. “Lila.” The sound of my mother’s voice sent shivers down my spine. She looked exactly how I remembered—stern, cold, and unyielding, with a presence that could make anyone feel small. “What are you doing here?” I asked, keeping my voice steady even though my knees felt weak. “We need to talk,” she said simply, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. Reid, who had been playing in the living room, looked up curiously. “Who’s that, Mum?” I quickly stepped between him and her, shielding him instinctively. “Reid, go to your room. I’ll come get you in a bit.” “But Mum—” “Now,” I said firmly, not taking my eyes off her. Reid hesitated, but he obeyed, his small footste
Chapter 49: When Secrets CollideI stood frozen, my back pressed against the cold surface of the door, as Reid’s laughter echoed faintly from the other room. I should’ve gone to him by now, should’ve wiped the tears still clinging to his cheeks from the argument earlier. But I couldn’t move. My hands trembled, clutching the edges of the letter I’d found just hours ago—words that had unraveled everything I thought I knew. The knock came like thunder, shattering the fragile silence. My body tensed, the letter slipping from my hands to the floor. Whoever it was, they weren’t supposed to be here. Not tonight. “Adeline!” The voice boomed again, deep and sharp. Lucien. Panic surged through me as I bent to grab the letter, crumpling it in my palm before shoving it into my pocket. I couldn’t let him see it. Not yet. Not when I didn’t even know what to do with it myself. “Adeline, open the door!” I hesitated for a second longer before unlocking it, barely cracking it open to meet