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Chapter Twelve
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2022-12-10 00:42:36
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A Second Chance Chapter Thirteen
"Ahem." Bryan cleared his throat. Caesar still had his eyes fixed on Amaliah's face even when she'd casually snatched her hand from his when it looked like he had been holding it too long. Mark looked like he would burst as he shifted from foot to foot, half with the excitement of meeting the boss one on one on his first day at work and half with the realization that there seemed to be some kind of history between his colleague and the boss. "You know each other?" Mark asked, his eyes darting from Caesar back to Amaliah in quick succession. He didn't want to miss any expression that might give something away. "No, we don't. We met once some years back, for the briefest of moments through a mutual acquaintance." Amaliah cut in just as Caesar opened his mouth to talk. Bryan sensed something there. Mark's face fell in disappointment, although he brightened up a moment later. His colleague had still known the boss — the great Caesar Masterson — outside work. It was something. "What
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-11A Second Chance Chapter Fourteen
Amaliah didn't encounter Caesar for the rest of the week and she was happy. She was even happier because Mark was a lot more subdued. He brought her bottles of water from his lunch break because she never went out for lunch. He didn't bring up unnecessary conversations and he was efficient at work which made her a lot nicer to him. She had held off from asking for another partner and she hoped things would continue like that. When his mouth was shut, he actually seemed like a likable person. Amaliah worked for the whole of the first week and she would do so for the next two weeks. Miranda wanted her to get used to the workings of the company and how they were all interconnected before she started coming in thrice in a week. During the weekend, she received a dreaded call from Ted Williams. She was in the kitchen spreading avocado on toast for herself and the twins while Sheila cooked lunch and filled her in on the happenings at her workplace. It was almost noon on Saturday and she
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-12A Second Chance Chapter Fifteen
It was Thursday and Amaliah's second week at Skyline Corp and she decided to step out for a breath of fresh air during lunch break. Mark had looked surprised when she told him she was going out for lunch. He was used to her sitting at her desk all day, only getting up for occasional bathroom breaks and coffee."Relax." She chuckled. "I'm just experimenting." He offered to go with her but she declined. Her usual routine was work, then straight home. She hadn't explored the restaurants near the company. Also, she was craving spicy food and she didn't want Mark asking questions she wasn't ready to answer. So far, only the HR team knew she was pregnant and she wanted to keep it that way until she couldn't anymore.She wasn't showing yet, her stomach was still as flat as when she wasn't pregnant and if she hadn't seen the baby in an ultrasound, she wouldn't have believed she was pregnant. Her Ob/Gyn had told her she needed to move her food intake a notch higher.She nodded at a few peop
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-13A Second Chance Chapter Sixteen
Anastasia strutted into the conference room on the fourth floor, ignoring Sarah, who was trying to restrain her. The secretary was mad as a hatter and was glaring at her with obvious contempt. "Hey darling, you need to fire your secretary. She's insolent, arrogant, and has never liked me." She eyed Sarah, who turned on her heel to leave the room, having failed to stop Anastasia from barging into the office. Caesar was in a meeting with Bryan and the other heads of departments when Anastasia walked in. They all looked up at the sound of her voice, and Caesar swore under his breath. She ignored the people seated in front of Caesar and went around the table to drop a kiss on his lips. He scowled at her and stood up. She was dressed in a short red silk dress that showed lots of cleavage and left little to the imagination. She paired it with high heels that made her long legs seem even longer. "Please excuse me." He said to the others, held Anastasia firmly by her arm and pulled her o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-14A Second Chance Chapter Seventeen
Mark waited until the elevator doors slid shut before he started to talk excitedly. “Girl! Did you see the boss and his girlfriend in the throes of passion? She’s so damn sexy, I'm not surprised that he can’t resist taking her on the corridor, right outside the conference room! ” Mark bobbed up and down like a monkey. Amaliah merely smiled and said nothing. She was famished and had forgotten the lunch box that Sheila had packed for her. If it weren’t for that singular reason, she wouldn’t be going out for lunch with Mark, and she wouldn’t have seen that embarrassing scene between Caesar and his girlfriend. No doubt, Anastasia Knight was a goddess. She looked even better in person and her skin looked flawless. Amaliah had never encountered her in person, but she supposed it was going to be a normal thing to come across celebrities while she worked at Skyline Corp. “Come on! This is juicy news. Those product ladies will be so interested. I must give them the details during lunch. Th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-15A Second Chance Chapter Eighteen
Caesar sat in the living room and watched himself on TV as he shook the hands of well-wishers and smiled at everyone that came forward to congratulate him. He stared intently at Anastasia's beautiful face on the TV, raised a wineglass to his lips and drank deeply. He hoped he had not just made the biggest mistake of his life. Bryan and his two other best friends —Jacob (Jake) Kingsley, Everett (Evie) Rosenberg — had disappointed looks on their faces, but they congratulated him and smiled at him all the same. He wasn't sure why he did it. He still didn't know what had prompted him to get down on one knee to propose to Anastasia with the ring she had picked out herself. He could see the scene in his mind's eye even as it was being replayed on the entertainment news on TV. Apart from the pressure from his mother and hers, he and Anastasia had gotten along exceptionally well for the past two weeks since they got back together. She spent most of her time with him, and they had not had a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-17A Second Chance Chapter Nineteen
“Amaliah,” Sarah Lang smiled from the doorway of Amaliah’’s office. “The boss needs you." “Oh. Ms. Rodriguez just left here a short while ago. Thank you, I’ll be with her shortly.” Amaliah smiled back at Sarah and turned back to her computer. It was almost time to go home. “Not Ms. Rodriguez, silly. The boss-boss, Mr. Masterson,” Mark laughed and looked at Sarah for confirmation with a gleam in his eye. His interest had been piqued. Sarah nodded. “Thanks. Mark, right?” Mark bobbed his head up and down and stood up hurriedly from his seat. He extended his hand to Sarah for a shake. “Mark Robes, ma’am. A pleasure to meet you.” “Likewise, Mark. Please be there in five, Amaliah. He’s in the conference room down this hall.” Sarah said, and turned on her heel and left. “Omg, do you even know who that is?” Mark gushed, moving his chair close to Amaliah’s. Amaliah rolled her eyes. “She’s the boss’s secretary. And I'm not in for any gossip right now. Please, mark.” “Come on, you’ll l
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-19A Second Chance Chapter Twenty
The marketing department's office gossip, almost thirty-year-old Mark Robes, was ruthless in his pursuit of personal details. Amaliah often felt that the CIA had missed out by not signing Mark up for something. He might not have been able to speak Russian, or Iraqi, or even basic English — come to that — but his intelligence-gathering skills were second to none. Amaliah often wondered how he got into Skyline Corp, but she quickly found out from Mark himself that Miranda owed his mother a favour and the only way his mother wanted her to repay was by bringing Mark into Skyline Corp. He couldn’t create a single sales copy without hitting the computer spell check at least four times to see if he’d spelled everything right, but if you wanted to know why the new girl in accounts kept coming in with red eyes every morning, Mark Robes was the only man for the job. Except that Amaliah never wanted to know the gossip. It wasn’t her scene. Being raised by parents who disliked gossip instille
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2022-12-21
Bab terbaru
A Second Chance Chapter Sixty One
A week later Amaliah had just ended her phone call with Caesar when the doorbell rang. Caesar was away on a business trip in Thailand, and she had been worried sick after seeing reports of the tsunami that had struck part of the country. Relief washed over her when she finally got through to him, and he reassured her that he had left Thailand a day before the disaster occurred.With that peace of mind, she made her way to the door, expecting the delivery guy Caesar had mentioned. But when she opened it, it wasn't the delivery she had anticipated—it was Rafael, standing there with a bouquet of red roses.Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. She had desperately hoped it had all been a dream—that he was gone, that he hadn't returned. But the sharp, undeniable reality settled in as she felt her babies kick inside her. This was no dream."Hello, Amaliah," Rafael greeted, a small, cautious smile playing on his lips.Amaliah gripped the door handle, steadying herself. This
A Second Chance Chapter Sixty
“Can I come in?” Rafael asked, stepping forward.Amaliah stiffened, her jaw clenching at his audacity, and then she slammed the door in his face, turning the lock as well. On wooden legs, she walked back to the living room and settled down on the sofa, feeling her chest tighten. She rubbed the spot with the heel of her hand as memories flashed through her mind at lightning speed.Memories flooded her mind—the late-night call from the police informing her of her husband's death, the horrifying sight of his charred body after his car exploded with him inside. The funeral, the agonizing weeks that followed, and the dark thoughts of ending her own life. And yet, he was alive? He had faked his death? Amaliah struggled to grasp the reality before her.Her breath hitched. The room tilted. Her vision blurred at the edges. She gasped, willing herself to stay present, but the pressure in her chest only worsened. With trembling fingers, she reached for her phone and dialed the first number in h
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty Nine
The midday sun bathed the rooftop garden in a golden glow, transforming it into a serene retreat above the hum of the tech company below. At a sleek glass table, Amaliah sat across from Caesar, the remnants of their lunch scattered between them. A gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh flowers, lifting strands of her hair, and for the first time in a long while, she felt… at peace.Returning to work had been refreshing, yet a part of her still longed for Tuscany. She wondered, almost absentmindedly, if Caesar would ever take her back. After their return, he had hired a landscaper to fill the once-barren rooftop with flowers—simply because she had mentioned, in passing, that it would make the space more beautiful. But he hadn't stopped there. A gazebo had been built, complete with a glass table and two chairs. When he had shown it to her, she had been speechless, overwhelmed by the thoughtful gesture.Her fingers instinctively found the pendant resting against her skin. She had neve
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty Eight
Amaliah’s unease deepened as the car wound its way through the increasingly narrow and secluded roads. Something felt off. Too isolated. Too far from the resort. They’d been driving for hours, and there was still no sign of the helipad Marco had claimed they were heading toward.“Marco?” she called out, her voice tight, laced with suspicion. “Where exactly is this helipad?”Silence.Her heart kicked up a notch. She glanced at the girls beside her—both lightly dozing—and reached for her phone again.No signal. Still nothing.“Marco, stop the car,” she said, this time with more urgency. “Right now.”He didn’t respond.She leaned forward, gently nudging the girls awake, her instincts screaming.Then she caught it—his eyes in the rearview mirror. Cold. Distant. Unfamiliar.“Stop the damn car!” she snapped, panic lacing her voice.When he still didn’t, she unbuckled her seatbelt, lunged forward, and yanked the gear out of drive.The vehicle jolted violently, skidding to a halt.“Out—get ou
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty Seven
Caesar lay stretched out on the living room couch, cradling a sleepy Amaliah against his chest as soft jazz filled the quiet space. The girls had already gone to bed after giggling their way through a movie, leaving the night to wind down in a rare, peaceful stillness.“You look tense,” Amaliah murmured, sensing the weight in his silence.He hesitated for a moment before responding. “I ran into Anastasia earlier. She seemed… unsettled. But someone like her doesn’t back down easily.”Amaliah sat up slightly, concern flickering in her eyes as her brows drew together. “Do you think she’ll try something?”“I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I’m not taking any chances. When we leave tomorrow, I want you and the girls with me—in the same car. No splitting up.”She nodded, resting her hand gently over his. “Okay. I trust you.”His voice was low, steady. “I’ll keep you safe, Amaliah. No matter what.”Later that night, when the house had gone still and the world outside lay quiet
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty Six
“Are you okay?” Bryan murmured softly beside her.“No,” she said on a soft breath, a faint laugh escaping her lips. “But it felt damn good.”From the stage, Caesar’s eyes never wavered from Amaliah. His smile shifted—no longer playful, but reverent, awestruck. He looked at her like a man who had just been handed the moon.As he stepped down and began walking toward her table, the crowd instinctively made way. He moved with purpose, never hesitating. When he reached her, he leaned in, took her hand gently, and pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles.“I didn’t know you had that in you,” he said, voice low, just for her ears.“Neither did I,” she whispered back. “But there was no way I was letting her win.”Their eyes locked. Then, without warning, he pulled her into a kiss—brief but breath-stealing, bold and unapologetic in front of everyone.“I’ll pay you back,” he teased, his smile wicked and warm.“You better,” she replied with a smirk.Across the room, Anastasia stood frozen, her
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty Five
“Girls, look!” Amaliah pointed out the window as their car wound through the rolling hills of Tuscany. The late afternoon sun bathed the landscape in hues of gold and green, with vineyards stretching endlessly across the countryside.“Wow,” Amaliah breathed, her eyes wide as a picturesque resort came into view, its vines sprawling across the distant hills.Madisyn and Micaela pressed their faces to the windows, captivated.“Mommy, it looks like a castle!” Madisyn gasped. “Is this where we’re staying?”“With princess gardens! It’s like a fairy tale,” Micaela added in awe.Caesar glanced at them through the rearview mirror, a smile tugging at his lips. “That’s right. This is where you’ll be pretending to be royalty for the next few days.”Micaela giggled. “Can we have pizza for dinner?”“Only if you ask in Italian,” Caesar teased, casting a playful glance at Amaliah, who sat beside him, her hand gently resting on her slightly rounded belly.She chuckled softly. “You’re enjoying this, ar
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty Four
Caesar stood by the office window, the phone pressed tightly to his ear. His jaw tensed with each unanswered ring. This was the fifth call. He’d already tried four times, but Sofia hadn’t picked up once. She’d made it painfully clear she was upset—still, he couldn’t stop trying.“Come on, Sofia,” he muttered under his breath. “Just pick up.”Finally, the call connected.“Sofia,” he breathed, relief softening his voice.There was a long pause before her cold response cut through the line. “What do you want, Caesar?”“I’ve been trying to reach you. Can we talk? Please.”“What’s there to talk about?” Her voice was sharp. “Are you still seeing Amaliah?”The directness of her question knocked the wind out of him. He hesitated, but only for a second. “Yes… I am.”“Then we have nothing to talk about.”“Sofia, wait—please,” he pleaded, voice gentler now. “You’re my sister. I know you don’t approve, but Amaliah isn’t the villain in this story. She’s not who you think—”“You made your choice,”
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty Three
Amaliah had no clue how Francine had managed to persuade Caesar to bring in a new hire for the digital marketing team. But when she returned to work on Monday—following the mandatory day off Caesar had insisted she take on Friday—she was startled to find a woman occupying Mark’s former desk.The newcomer’s high ponytail bounced with every movement as she swayed to the rhythm of whatever music played through her headphones, completely lost in her own world.Curious but not eager to engage, Amaliah held back, choosing to observe for now. She could only hope this new hire knew how to mind her own business. Just as she reached for her phone to text Caesar—wanting to avoid dealing with Francine as well—a high-pitched voice nearly made her jump."Hello!" The woman greeted her with an infectious enthusiasm. "I'm Minerva. Just joined the company today."Amaliah forced a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Minerva. I'm—""I know who you are," Minerva interrupted before she could finish. "You're A
