With Cila's legs wide apart, Ethan kept pumping hard into her. He got so carried away that the sounds of their bodies slapping against each other became loud enough for someone outside the room to hear. The sound of Laura's voice calling out his name, suddenly filled his ears, forcing him back to his senses. He pulled out of Cila immediately and began wearing his clothes. Cila became frustrated. Neither of them had found their release yet. Couldn't Laura hold on? She tried to convince Ethan that he wasn't doing anything wrong since they were married but he paid no attention to her. Ethan stood by the door, his heart pounding in his chest as he heard Laura calling his name. Panic settled deep in his gut as he realized she was heading towards the storeroom. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and quietly gestured to Cila to lock the door behind him. Without a word, he slipped out of her room and darted down the hallway, his mind racing to come up with an explanatio
Ethan had felt a wave of relief wash over him these past few days, a sense of normalcy returning to his life. He was committed to focusing on his marriage, and being the husband Laura deserved. However, one afternoon, he realized he had forgotten an important document at home. It was a small mistake, one that could easily be fixed during his lunch break. He returned home quickly, assuming the house would be empty. But as he pushed the door open, the familiar sound of soft footsteps greeted him. Cila emerged from her room, her eyes locking onto his the moment he entered the hallway. She didn’t speak, simply stood there, her gaze intense. Ethan offered her a polite nod and headed straight for his bedroom, hoping the brief encounter would end there. But as he gathered the document, something stirred inside him—an uninvited memory of the nights he had spent with Cila, the way her skin had felt against his, the way she had made him feel alive in ways he couldn’t admit to himself. H
Cila couldn't contain her excitement as she stepped into the hospital. After all the waiting and wondering, she finally took the blood pregnancy test. And when the results matched her home test, confirming that she was indeed pregnant, her heart swelled with satisfaction. The moment had arrived—she was carrying Ethan’s child. That evening, she waited eagerly for him to return from work, the anticipation buzzing inside her like a live wire. When Laura and Ethan walked through the door, Cila could barely hold herself back, excitement brimming in her eyes. She handed them the pregnancy test results, watching closely for their reactions. Laura’s eyes welled up the moment she saw the result. Tears streamed down her face as she hugged Cila tightly, her voice cracking with emotion. “Thank you… thank you so much, Cila. You’ve given us the greatest gift.” Ethan was no less thrilled. He scooped Laura into his arms, kissing her passionately before twirling her around the living room. His j
Ethan's heart froze as he watched Laura quietly closing the door and walking away, her figure retreating down the hallway. Panic surged through him. His world spun as the reality of the situation sank in. Frantically, he scrambled off the bed, pulling on his boxers before bolting after her. Laura had only managed a few steps before the crushing weight of betrayal overwhelmed her. The tightness in her chest made it hard to breathe, and tears spilled uncontrollably down her cheeks. She wanted to disappear—to be anywhere but there. She wiped at her face with trembling hands as she reached the exit, but just as her fingers brushed the handle, Ethan caught up with her. He dropped to his knees, blocking her path, his hands gripping her waist as though his life depended on it. “Laura,” he choked, his voice raw with desperation, “please… please forgive me. I swear, it meant nothing. It will never happen again. I made a terrible mistake.” Behind them, Cila emerged from the bedroom, he
Laura stared at Cila for what felt like an eternity, her eyes searching for any hint of the friend she once knew. She was trembling with a mix of disbelief and sadness. Finally, she whispered, "Okay, Cila, I’ll go. But remember this—today, you kicked your best friend out of her own husband’s house. I hope you can live with that for the rest of your life."Cila kept her face turned away, unable to meet Laura’s gaze. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, but her expression remained hardened. She knew Laura was vulnerable, emotional, always driven by her heart rather than reason. But for Cila, this was about survival—about securing a future for herself and her unborn child. Pity was a luxury she couldn’t afford. She had to protect herself, and in her mind, she was doing exactly that. Ethan, stunned and unable to comprehend what was happening, grabbed Laura’s shoulders and shook her, his voice thick with desperation. "What are you saying, Laura? You told me you couldn’t live with
As Laura dragged her suitcases out the door, Ethan hurried after her, his heart pounding in his chest. "Laura, please!" he called out, trying to keep pace with her. She quickened her steps, her eyes wet with tears, and begged him to stop following her. "You're making a scene," she whispered harshly, looking around at the curious onlookers. "Please, Ethan, let me go."Reluctantly, Ethan slowed his pursuit as Laura waved down a taxi and climbed in. His desperation, however, refused to let him give up. He jumped into his car and trailed behind her, refusing to let her disappear from his life so easily. Every turn, every traffic light that separated them, felt like a stab to his heart. Laura gave the driver instructions to head to 'Treasureland Hotels and Suites'. Once there, she paid the fare with shaking hands and entered the lobby, her legs feeling like lead. She booked a room with as much composure as she could muster, forcing herself to keep moving even though her entire being want
Ethan opened the front door slowly, his footsteps heavy with anger and regret. He saw Cila lounging on the couch, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him. She sprang up and rushed toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. "Junior Ethan and I really missed you," she said softly, a coy smile tugging at her lips. She hoped invoking their child would soften his heart. But instead of warmth, Ethan turned on her with ice in his veins. His hand shot out, wrapping around her neck with surprising force. His eyes burned with fury as he hissed, "I’ll kill you with my bare hands if it means getting you out of my way. You’ve already taken enough from me." Cila’s eyes widened in fear. She struggled to speak, her hands clawing at his wrist. "E-Ethan," she gasped, her voice barely a whisper. "Think of the child. Please." But Ethan’s grip only tightened, his face twisted with rage. Desperation surged through her. "Laura!" she choked out. "Laura will never forgive you if you kil
Laura rose early the next morning, slipping into her running shoes with the hope of clearing her mind. As she jogged along the familiar path, her thoughts swirled with unresolved emotions. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of dewy grass, when Byron's voice broke through the quiet. "Good morning, Laura," he called out as he passed her by. Surprised, Laura blinked in his direction before muttering a half-hearted greeting. She couldn't understand why Byron kept trying to bridge the gap between them when she wanted nothing to do with him. As Byron slowed down, clearly hoping she'd catch up, Laura deliberately slowed her pace to a walk, letting him drift further away. The distance between them grew, a silent acknowledgment that she was unwilling to close the space. Byron, seemingly resigned, picked up speed and jogged on ahead, leaving Laura to walk alone back to her house. That evening, as the sun sank low, Ethan returned home. It was late, as usual, but this time he wasn’t a
TROY After two years, I was back in the Scandinavia, the place that took everything from me. I had rented the whole beach for the evening because I wanted to be alone. I stood by my once favorite beach in Oslo and closed my eyes as memories from the past flooded my mind; Her beautiful smile, and the warmth of her body, pressed against mine as we stared at the stars together. Aislinn was everything to me until she was snatched away so cruelly. I opened my eyes and stared at the water, hoping its calmness would soothe my turbulent heart. All of a sudden, something caught my attention. Floating and approaching from a distance, I tried to make out what it was. I took a few steps closer, dipping my legs into the water. I gasped when I realized it was a person; a woman, and judging by the way she looked, I knew she was dead. I turned and wanted to leave but a question struck my mind; what if she wasn't dead? What if Aislinn was in a similar situation and needed help? Would I have
MARIANNE If it weren't for the date and time stamp on the video, I would have thought Paula was lying to me. As I watched the video, everything began to piece together in my head. I recalled when Tony had first approached me for a relationship. I had refused his advances, especially since I had just clocked eighteen, but Britney kept encouraging me to give him a chance, claiming we were perfect for each other and would be together forever. Back then, I was amazed at how Tony and I had the same tastes, interests, and even fashion sense. I believed he was truly destined for me. Only after Paula's revelation did I realize that Britney had planted him in my life and told him about my likes and dislikes. No wonder he seemed so perfect in my eyes and I ended up falling in love with him. They deceived me for so long and plotted my downfall. The false testimonies from my secretary and Tony's sister finally made more sense to me. I felt so much anger surge within me and a deep yearn
MARIANNE Everything felt like a dream. Just like that, I had been condemned for something I never did. My only crime was being too kind and trusting the wrong people. As I was being transported by ship along with a few other prisoners, the judge's words echoed in my ears, "This court finds the accused; Mrs. Tony, guilty of first-degree murder and sentences her to life imprisonment with hard labor in the Norwegian Island Prison. I recalled the triumphant look on Britney's face as I was being taken away and could not understand what I ever did wrong to her. When I met her so many years ago, I had just finished high school. Being the daughter of the richest man in the city, I lived in affluence as opposed to her who was struggling to get by. I saw her working as a waiter at a party and took her side when a guest treated her disrespectfully. We got close from that night and I got to find out that she had no family. She was an orphan who had to work from a very young age just to
MARIANNE I sighed in relief as I thanked Britney repeatedly. "There's no need to thank me," she expressed. "You are my best friend and I will do anything for you." The next morning, just as my lawyer had promised, I was arraigned before a judge. I had been restless throughout the night as it was my first time being in a cell. I tried not to cry because I knew it wouldn't help my situation. I convinced myself that I was just unfortunate. I never should have married Tony. After the judge questioned me, I took a plea of not guilty. My attorney didn't seem pleased by that but I didn't care. No one was going to make me admit to something I never did. Since it was my first appearance, I expected that I would be granted bail and allowed to show up in court from the comfort of my home during the preliminary hearings. I planned to get the best lawyer for myself once I was released on bail and got access to my phone. However, nothing like that happened. The judge allowed a ten minut
MARIANNE At the police station, I was cuffed and kept in a dimly lit room with four chairs, one table, and a window. I was exhausted and my eyes were puffy from crying. Even though Tony cheated on me, he was the love of my life and I could not believe he was no more. In a flash, I had become a widow; the youngest I knew because I had just turned twenty, a month ago. The three policemen sat in front of me, questioning me as though I were a common criminal. "Don't you know who I am?" I asked. "I own foundations, charity organizations, and free hospitals. I help people, not hurt them. No matter what, I could never murder a man I loved with my life." "Stop beating around the bush and answer the damn question!" One of the policemen yelled at me, slapping his palms on the table. I didn't have to be a police officer or a lawyer to know that what the men were doing was not standard procedure. They were biased toward me and I had no idea why. "I won't speak any more until my lawye
MARIANNE I stepped on my brake pedal and gave myself a minute to catch my breath. My hands were shivering and I felt chilled to the bone. I still could not believe what I had just seen. I opened my phone and watched for the umpteenth time, the pornographic video that had been sent to me anonymously. My husband of almost two years was in bed, having sex with a woman that wasn't me. His face was revealed in the video, while hers was concealed. The only thing I could make of the woman was her slender wrist and the gold bracelet around it. It seemed oddly familiar but I could not remember where I had seen it. For two years, I believed my marriage was the best in the world because my husband, Tony adored me and worshipped the ground I walked on. I was the richest woman in the city and my company, RAY INDUSTRIES was the number one in the country, yet, my happiest moments were the ones spent with my husband. That was how much I loved him. How could he betray my trust? Hands still
SYNOPSIS "My husband walks about freely, lavishing my fortune, with his mistress by his side, while I am condemned to spend the rest of my life in an island prison for his death. If this is my fate, I will fight it until my last breath."~~~ MARIANNE Betrayed by the ones she trusted most, Marianne finds herself convicted for a crime she did not commit. In a desperate attempt to change her new reality, she ends up at the brink of death but gets a second chance in Troy; An unusually sexy billionaire willing to place the world at her feet. Marianne swears she is done with men and love, and her life's goal is revenge against those who wronged her. But why does her heart race uncontrollably at the sound of his voice? ***His hands reached out, framing my face as his fingers caressed my lips. I closed my eyes when he cupped my breasts and his lips settled on the crook of my neck, lavishing it with kisses until I was breathless and wet beyond control. "Troy," I panted and my eyes flung
In the morning, Ethan woke Cila up from his bed and calmly asked her to leave his bedroom and stay away from it. As she walked out of the room, she stood by the door, staring at Ethan who was watching her leave. She wished she could turn back the hands of time. If she hadn’t tried to take Laura’s place and planned for Laura to catch them in the act, Ethan would still be meeting her behind Laura’s back. She wouldn’t feel so alone. She would still have him—if only she hadn’t been so greedy for more. She had no clue Ethan was secretly seeing Laura again. He came home early, spent most of his free time with her. Little did she know, Ethan had been stealing moments with Laura during their lunch breaks, meeting at the small apartment he had rented temporarily for her. The joy of those stolen hours made time fly for them, but each day weighed heavier on Ethan’s heart. He kept counting down the days, marking them on his calendar, waiting for the moment he could bring Laura back home
"Shh......," Byron shushed Laura as he moved closer to her, cupping her face and attempting to kiss her once more. This time, however, he was met with a sharp slap across his face. The sting of it made him pause, his hand instinctively reaching for his cheek as he glared at her. "So, you’d rather sit here, pining away for a man who’s off fucking your best friend, instead of giving me a chance to make you happy?" he spat, his voice dripping with bitterness. "You know what, Laura? You deserve everything that’s happening to you. You’re foolish, indecisive, and weak. You deserve to be ditched by your husband and betrayed by your so-called best friend." The words cut through Laura like a blade, each one more painful than the last. Byron stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Laura remained standing, her legs suddenly too weak to hold her up. She sank to the floor, the weight of his words pressing down on her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Do I reall