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Chapter Twenty
Huling Na-update:
2022-12-21 01:42:42
Kaugnay na kabanata
A Second Chance Chapter Twenty One
Amaliah let herself into the house. The hall was in darkness. Good. Sheila wasn’t home yet. She’d mentioned that she might go for a drink with Sarah after work. They'd invited her, but she declined. The twins were with her parents, and their absence gave her a chance to go to bed without talking to anyone, because she really didn't feel like talking. And if Sheila came in after a few drinks, she wouldn’t be intuitive enough to notice her downcast eyes. Amaliah left the hall light on and went upstairs to bed. She got as far as taking off her blouse when the wave of utter hopelessness hit her and she had to sit down on the edge of the bed and weep. Great gusts of sobs came from her, her chest heaved with each breath and she cried until her face was red and raw. Would she ever get over the pain of Rafael's death? All she wanted was for the pain of wanting to abate somewhat, so she could cope. Tears flowed down her face as she wept with grief. She’d been kidding herself during her the
Huling Na-update : 2022-12-23A Second Chance Chapter Twenty Two
"Wait, what? How? When? What did he say?" Sheila was as confused as Amaliah was. "I don't know. He simply said my loan has been paid off." Sheila grabbed Amaliah's phone and called the number back but the call didn't go through. "This is bonkers. Are you sure he's not just playing with you? Maybe he wants you to lose guard so they'll hurt you." "I don't think so. He sounded cheerful, sincere. I think the loan has really been paid off. I'm stunned." "Wow. But . . ." "I know what you're thinking. Who could've paid it off? Why did they pay it off? Do you think it was one of our friends?" "I'm sorry, Amaliah, our friends love you but that's quite a sum." Sheila rubbed her friend's shoulder. "Yeah, I thought so too. I'm torn in between celebrating and being wary. What if that person paid it off because he or she has bad intentions? Like you said, that's quite a sum, no matter how much a person has." "I agree. We need some information, although I don't think Ted Williams will be kee
Huling Na-update : 2022-12-27A Second Chance Chapter Twenty Three
Three weeks and four days later. Caesar lay on his bed, simply staring at the ceiling, trying to think. Anastasia had changed within a few weeks. She was a lot more considerate, even if she still tried to drag him along with her to her late night parties that exhausted him to no end. She was a lot more polite to his friends and staff, tried her best to be with him as often as possible, had stopped throwing tantrums when she didn't get what she wanted, had stopped trying to gaslight him every chance she got. But Caesar concluded that he couldn't go through with the wedding. He didn't want to. Anastasia might've changed, but he wasn't sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, living a mundane life that only consisted of parties, sex and glamour. He loved kids and wanted one as soon as possible but she had told him that she never wanted kids—at least not from her own body—and if he wanted kids, he could adopt a grown kid and hire several nannies. She hated things like nap
Huling Na-update : 2023-01-02A Second Chance Chapter Twenty Four
"You're not mad?" She asked tentatively. Alarm bells went off in Caesar's head. He was hurt, but not angry. He had known deep down that even if Anastasia did change her ways, it would take years, not three weeks. Infact, he was actually quite glad. Instead of breaking up with her and having to go through her tantrums and meltdown, she had made it easier for him. He would not be the one to be tainted all over the media either—not that he planned to make their break-up public—incase Anastasia took it to the tabloids. But if he acted like he was not angry, she would sense that he had wanted to end the relationship before. Anastasia had an uncanny ability for sniffing out the truth, even if she was a pathological liar and an expert manipulator. She would then turn everything around and blame him for making her cheat. He could just imagine her saying, "I knew you were trying to break up with me, which is why I wanted to sleep with him to hurt you." Anastasia was known for blaming every
Huling Na-update : 2023-01-07A Second Chance Chapter Twenty Five
"Listen Stassie," Caesar's voice was weary now. "I need you to leave my house. I'm calling off the wedding immediately. I decided long ago that nothing you do or say will get to me." "Oh yeah? Says the emotionally weak man who would turn to putty the minute my hands are on him. You have a weakness for me, Caesar. I have you wrapped around my little finger and there's nothing you can do about it." As soon as he sat down on the sofa, she went over to him and straddled him, kissing him aggressively, biting his jaw, his lips, his ear. He gently picked her up and dumped her unceremoniously on the other side of him. He then picked up his phone and called her mom. She picked up on the third ring. "Have your driver come pick up your daughter." He said to her mom and hung up. Stassie flew at him. "Are you crazy? Why on earth did you call my mom?" She shrieked. Just then, two security men entered the house and grabbed Anastasia. "What the hell are you doing? Leave me alone! Don't touch
Huling Na-update : 2023-01-08A Second Chance Chapter Twenty Six
The next day, Amaliah stepped inside an elevator going up to her office, hoping she would not meet any one of the office gossip. As the doors of the elevator slid shut, someone stopped it and stepped in. Amaliah glanced up from her phone and winced. It was Caesar. She moved back and he stepped in. "Hello, Ms. Rivers." He nodded politely in her direction and pressed the elevator button."Mr Masterson." She gave him a tight smile.As they went up, she continued to text Sheila while he admired how ethereal she looked. She was dressed in mom jeans and silk blouse with a pair of low heeled sandals. He cleared his throat."Er… how're you?" He asked, smiling at her."Very well, thank you. I'm sorry about your broken engagement.""Oh… there's nothing to be sorry about. I mean, it's nothing serious. I mean, she wasn't serious…we weren't serious." He realised he was blabbing and promptly shut up. "I mean, a lot of people show sympathy but I'm relieved that the wedding won't be happening.""You
Huling Na-update : 2023-01-09A Second Chance Chapter Twenty Seven
Amaliah sighed. "What am I doing, Sheila? This is so wrong.""It's not. You're simply moving on, living your life." Sheila grinned, finishing off the last bit of Amaliah's make-up."I really shouldn't. The girls are still grieving." Amaliah sighed again and stood up."That's what you think. Anyway, why are you overthinking this? It's just a dinner party." Sheila laughed. "You're making it sound like you're getting married."Amaliah nodded. "Right. I should get going. Thank you for the make-up. You should start doing this professionally. You'd be a total hit.""As if!" Sheila laughed again and grabbed her keys. "I'll drop you.""You don't have to. I booked a ride already." Amaliah patted her friend's shoulder and left.She got to the venue, paid the driver and got down. She took a deep breath and ran her hands over her gown multiple times. It was loose fitting because of her pregnancy, but if anyone looked closely enough, they'd notice that she was pregnant right away. She didn't mind
Huling Na-update : 2023-01-19A Second Chance Chapter Twenty Eight
Courtney Norman stopped her car in front of the small brownstone and unbuckled her seatbelt. She turned back to glance at her son. She smiled when she saw that he was fast asleep in his car seat with a cookie in his hand. She leaned over and brushed the crumbs off his face and his sweater. After looking at the brownstone for a few more minutes, she sighed, got out, and rounded the car to get her son. "Drew." She shook him gently. "Come on, baby, wake up." When he didn't respond, she unbuckled the seat belt and carried him out, wincing a little as his weight settled heavily on her. Courtney opened the small gate and walked up the short steps to the front door. She adjusted Drew's weight on her shoulder and took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. The person who answered the door was a slender redhead with the most amazing blue eyes she had ever seen and a full, contagious smile that made her eyes sparkle. She was fully dressed in a beige silk blouse, white linen pants, and
Huling Na-update : 2023-01-22
Pinakabagong kabanata
A Second Chance Chapter Fifty
Caesar sat at his desk, his fingers drumming impatiently against the polished wood. His sharp gaze flicked to his secretary, Sarah, who stood by the door, iPad in hand."Get Nathan from IT here. Now," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.Without hesitation, Sarah nodded. "Right away, Mr. Masterson."Within ten minutes, Nathan entered, adjusting his glasses as he took in Caesar’s serious expression."You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked.Caesar gestured to the chair across from him. "Have you identified who sabotaged Amaliah’s report?"Nathan exhaled, setting a folder on the desk. "Yes. It was Mark from the digital marketing department. But he didn’t act alone. Someone from IT helped him override system restrictions." Nathan responded.Caesar’s jaw clenched. "Who?""A junior technician named Alex," Nathan replied. "We reviewed the system logs and traced unauthorized modifications back to his credentials. He and Mark worked together to alter Amaliah’s data before the deadl
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Nine
Caesar paced his office restlessly, his phone gripped tightly in his hand. The moment Sarah’s email had landed in his inbox, detailing how someone had sabotaged Amaliah’s report, he had tried calling her. But she had declined his call.That single action had sent his concern into overdrive. Had she found out? Did she think he was involved? Has the stress affected her and the babies? His mind raced with worst-case scenarios, his gut twisting with unease.Determined to get answers, he had immediately contacted Nathan, the head of IT. Nathan had assured him that only a section of Amaliah’s work had been corrupted and that he was actively investigating who was responsible. But that did little to ease Caesar’s frustration.“Damn it, Amaliah. Why won’t you just answer?” he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with frustration.Before he could dwell any further, the door to his office swung open, and his sister, Sofia, strode in. The sharp click of her heels echoed against the polished
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Eight
Amaliah and Mark exchanged a tense glance.“Do you have any idea who it might be?” she asked.Nathan shook his head. “Not yet. But I’m conducting a full audit of the network and office equipment. Whoever did this left a trail, and I’ll find them.”Amaliah gave a firm nod. “Let me know if you need anything from me. I just want this handled.”“You’ll be the first to know,” Nathan assured her before striding away.As the day progressed, Amaliah struggled to concentrate on rebuilding the corrupted sections of her report, but the lingering unease wouldn’t fade. Someone in the office had tried to sabotage her work—and until Nathan uncovered the culprit, she couldn’t afford to trust anyone.~~~~~As the car rolled to a stop in front of her house, Amaliah stepped out and closed the door behind her, offering a grateful smile to Caesar’s chauffeur. She still couldn’t believe Caesar had arranged for her to be driven home after work—it was such a thoughtful gesture, especially after the exhaustin
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Seven
Amaliah’s brows furrowed in concentration as her fingers flew hastily across the keyboard. She was typing up her report for the upcoming meeting with Caesar in two days, and she needed to get it just right. The faint hum of the office AC provided a soothing background, but the pressing need to pee broke her focus. Sighing, she pushed her chair back and stood.“This better still be here when I get back,” she muttered, quickly locking the screen before hurrying to the restroom.When she returned five minutes later, her steps faltered at the sight of her computer screen—black and lifeless. A sinking feeling settled in her chest as she approached her desk. She distinctly remembered leaving it on. Panic began to rise as she pressed the power button, but nothing happened.Her fingers trembled slightly as she muttered, “Did I save before leaving? I... I don’t think I did.” She groaned softly. If the last few edits were lost, she'd have to start over from the middle of the report—a frustratin
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Six
Caesar pulled into an empty spot in the hospital's underground parking lot and switched off the ignition. Reaching into the back seat, he grabbed a small bag and retrieved a baseball cap from inside. He knew Amaliah would likely laugh at his attempt to disguise himself, but this was for her safety as much as his.As a well-known figure, he despised being in the spotlight, and a visit to the hospital would spark headlines within the hour. If anyone spotted him and Amaliah leaving together, the situation would escalate even further.Sliding the cap onto his head and adjusting a nose mask over his face, Caesar stepped out of the car, shut the door, and locked it before heading toward the sliding doors that led to the elevator. He pressed the call button, and once the elevator arrived, he stepped inside and selected the fifth floor, where Amaliah had texted she would be.A smile tugged at his lips as he thought about her message asking if he was sure about coming to her appointment. He ha
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Five
Willowridge Manor stood as a testament to timeless elegance, nestled amidst the rolling hills of Fairfield’s idyllic countryside. Spanning two acres of lush, meticulously maintained land, the estate exuded a quiet grandeur that was impossible to ignore.A long cobblestone driveway, lined with ancient willow trees, led to the stately manor. The house itself was a masterpiece of colonial architecture, its whitewashed facade accented with ivy creeping up its stone columns. Large bay windows reflected the golden rays of the sun, while a pair of wrought-iron lanterns flanked the grand oak door, offering a warm, inviting glow at night.The gardens surrounding the manor were a botanical paradise. Vibrant roses in every hue imaginable spilled over trellises, their fragrance carried on the gentle breeze. Lavender bushes bordered the winding stone pathways, which meandered through clusters of hydrangeas and peonies. In the center of the garden stood a marble fountain, its cascading water a so
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Four
"Why have you been ignoring my calls, Caesar?" Anastasia demanded, frustration evident in her tone. "You never used to do that.""Past tense. I do it now," Caesar shot back coldly. His voice was sharp, laced with finality. "And before you ask why—it's because you mean nothing to me anymore.""That's not true!" she retorted, her voice rising. "I'm your fiancée." Lifting her hand, she showed him the ring glinting on her finger. "Remember this? You put it on my finger on national television. The whole world knows we're engaged."Caesar raked his fingers through his hair, his jaw tightening as he struggled to hold back the anger bubbling inside him. His gaze flicked to Sarah, who sat at her desk, feigning disinterest as she worked on her computer. Taking Anastasia into his office to continue this conversation was an option, but he knew better. She’d likely attempt to manipulate him again."Sarah," he said, his voice strained but controlled, "can you give us some privacy? If you have work
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Three
Amaliah set her iced tea down, her gaze fixed on Caesar. “Was it because of you that Ms. Rodriguez called Mark to her office?” she asked.“No,” Caesar replied firmly. “She heard the rumors and assured me she’d handle it herself. I had nothing to do with it.”Amaliah tilted her head thoughtfully. “He seemed very upset when he came back. I wonder what she said to him.” she mused.“Whatever it was, it should stop him from spreading more lies about you,” Caesar said with a reassuring tone. “But honestly, out of a thousand employees in the company, why did he choose to target you?”Amaliah shrugged, muttering under her breath, “He thinks I’m a snob. He doesn’t like that I won’t answer his million questions about my personal life.” “He should spend less time gossiping and more time focusing on his work,” Caesar said sharply, only to pause as his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. He ignored it at first, unwilling to let anything interrupt the moment with Amaliah. But when the buzzing pe
A Second Chance Chapter Forty Two
Amaliah stood at the lectern, double-checking her slides on her laptop one last time before starting her presentation. Nerves churned inside her, but she trusted herself enough not to let them get the best of her. Caesar had even reassured her, confident she'd do well, and she was determined not to let him down.Her heart pounded as the double doors to the conference room opened, and the board members filed in with expressions that gave nothing away. These were the same people who had watched her stumble through her previous presentation’s opening minutes, and she could almost feel their silent doubts, wondering if today would be a repeat—and if Caesar might consider giving her presentation to someone else.But she had other plans. That wasn’t going to happen; she was set on making sure everyone left this room impressed. Caesar and Francine entered last, and as the doors closed behind them, she watched them take their seats before she took a steadying breath and dimmed the lights with
