(Writer's POV) "Welcome back, ma," the maids greeted as Jenna entered the house, her arms laden with shopping bags. Being bratty as always, Jenna tossed the bags at them carelessly before flopping onto the couch, a smirk forming on her face. "What's with the smile?" Lydia asked, emerging from the kitchen. "There you are, Lydia," Jenna grinned, causing Lydia to furrow her brows in confusion. "Someone looks happy today. What happened?" Lydia asked as she took a seat beside Jenna on the couch. "My plan is finally falling into place," Jenna said excitedly. Lydia raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled. "What plan?" she asked. "Are you suffering from dementia? How can you forget so easily?" Jenna replied, slightly annoyed. "I'm sorry, I don’t remember any plan you told me about." Jenna shot Lydia an irritated glare before smiling again. "Since I'm in a good mood, I’ll tell you all about it." She paused before continuing, "I’m finally friends with Allison." "Allison? The same
(Allison's POV) I stepped out of the car when I arrived at Scott's residence. The weekend was over, and it was time to take Liam back home. I could have asked Scott to bring him, but with Stefan still in California, I needed to be cautious—I don't know when he might show up at my doorstep. "Mummy!" Liam rushed into my arms as Scott opened the door for me. "How has my son been?" I asked, hugging him tightly. I had missed him so much that I kept praying for the weekend to be over, just so I could have him back home. "Mummy, I can't breathe," he struggled to say, and I quickly stopped hugging him, caressing his cheek as excitement surged through me. "I missed you so much, Liam," I said, playing with his cheeks. "I missed you too, Mummy. But Daddy took care of me. He brought lots of storybooks for me. He also built a huge castle with me, and we played lots of games together. I even ate my favorite chocolates and ice cream," Liam said, smiling with every word that left his mout
(Allison's POV) I wished this was just my imagination. I wished it was merely a hallucination that my family had seen me hugging Scott, but it wasn’t imagination, nor was I hallucinating. “What’s going on here?” Aunt Hilda asked, trying hard not to believe what she had just witnessed. I quickly rushed to her. “Aunt Hilda, I can explain—” My words were cut short by a slap from her, while Alex rushed to Scott and, with fury in his eyes, punched him in the face. Liam, who had seen it all, quickly got down from the mini car he had been playing with. “Aunt Hilda, why did you slap my Mummy? Uncle Alex, why did you slap my Daddy?” Liam asked, unaware that he was only adding fuel to the fire. Aunt Hilda and Alex gave me a disappointing look after Liam called Scott his Daddy. My heart ached as they stared at me. “Aunt—” I began, tears streaming down my face, but Aunt Hilda cut me off. “I don’t want to hear anything, Allison!” she yelled. I could see the tears threatening to spill from
(Allison's POV) "Where's Liam?" I asked Bonnie when I got home. "He's already sleeping. He kept asking too many questions about why you were crying, but I managed to put him to bed." "Thanks, Bonnie." "It's nothing. Were you able to talk to your family? What did they say?" Bonnie asked. Tears streamed down my face as I sank onto the sofa. "They refused to believe me, Bonnie. They threw me out, thinking I’m having an affair with Scott," I poured out my pain, and Bonnie quickly sat beside me. "You can’t blame them, Allison. You told them you weren’t on speaking terms with Scott, and suddenly they saw you with him. They have every reason to think that way. He’s not just anyone but the man you used to love—your first love." "But it’s all in the past now. They should’ve at least listened to me. I know I was wrong for lying to them, but I was only doing what any mother would do. I granted my son’s wish to have a father. I just wanted Liam to be happy," I said, sniffing. I didn’t bla
(Scott's POV) I stood there like a lifeless being, not even moving an inch from where I was standing. It was as if the earth had stopped moving, and I became stiff on the ground. Allison went after Stefan, caring less if I was here. She went after a man who wasn’t even her fiancé, caring less about how it was going to make me feel. It hurt so much. It ached my heart to see her running after another man. My heart was in so much pain, as if it was being pierced heartlessly with a sharp rod. I held my heart just to suppress the pain, but it stung even more, with my tears spilling down from my eyes, even though I had done my best to stop them from falling. Why can’t she see I regret what I did six years ago? I was just so desperate—desperate to have my own stand so I wouldn’t continue being a laughingstock in the eyes of my dad and his illegitimate family. I loved her then, and I still love her now. How should I make her realize that she is the only woman I have ever loved, and tha
(Writer's POV) Bonnie drove back home after leaving Liam in the care of Aunt Hilda. As she got out of the car, she saw Alex sitting on the doorstep of her house, his head bowed. He was the one who had called her earlier, which was why Bonnie had left Liam with Aunt Hilda to come and see him. She let out a deep sigh before calling his name. "Alex." Alex lifted his head, his eyes misty from the pain of Allison's betrayal. He had trusted his sister deeply, and it shattered him to know she was on speaking terms with Scott after everything she had been through. "Bonnie," he muttered. He stood up, and before Bonnie could say a word, he hugged her. She was startled at first, but understanding the state he was in, she let Alex hug her until his emotions settled. "Are you not going home?" Bonnie asked when they were inside her house. "Can I spend the night?" he asked. "Of course, you can. You're Allison's younger brother; it's my responsibility to look after you as a big sister," Bonnie
(Scott's POV) I stared hard at the house in front of me, contemplating whether I should step out of my car or not. I had inquired about Aunt Hilda’s address with the determination to speak with her, but now that I was here, I felt too scared to leave the safety of my car—too scared to face the anger in her eyes. But this was for Allison and Liam. I had come here to make things right. With that thought in mind, I got out of the car and walked toward the door. Pressing the doorbell, I waited. It rang, but no one came to open the door. "Aren’t they home?" I mumbled, pressing the doorbell again. This time, Liam opened the door. His eyes lit up with joy as soon as he saw me. "Daddy!" he exclaimed excitedly, running into my arms. I scooped him up and held him close. "How are you doing, Liam?" I asked. "I’m fine, Daddy," he replied, his joyful smile still lighting up his face. "That’s good to hear. Where’s your Mummy and Aunt Hilda?" I asked, wondering if he was home alone. "I haven’
( Allison's POV) "Please, Allie... love me back again," he sniffed, tears streaming down his face as his arms wrapped around me. His tears soaked my blouse, and I could feel them on my skin. He was crying because of me. Scott was begging me to love him again. I felt my heart ache at his plea. I was almost tempted to hug him back, but I remembered that I still hadn’t gained forgiveness from my family for lying to them. I pushed him away and wiped my tears before he could see them. "Please leave, Scott, and stop making it difficult for me." Just as I finished speaking, Aunt Hilda entered the house, and my heart sank in fear upon seeing her. "What the heck are you doing here?!" she demanded loudly on seeing Scott. "Good afternoon, Aunt," Scott greeted, attempting to step closer to her. He stopped midway when Aunt Hilda took a step back, her eyes filled with hatred. "Keep your greetings to yourself and answer my question. What are you doing here?!" She shouted, her eyes narrowin
(Scott's POV) I stared at Allison, waiting for her to say something, but she remained quiet, just staring back at me with eyes filled with guilt. "When you said you spent the night at Elena's house because she was having issues with her husband... was that a lie? Did you spend the night in his hotel suite—and kiss him?" I asked again, hoping she’d say something—anything at all. "Yes, she did, Scott," Stefan answered on her behalf. "She lied to you. Gosh, her lips were so soft when I kissed her. Tasted like vanilla," he added, clearly trying to provoke me. I fell for it and punched him in the face. Anger and jealousy surged through me knowing he had kissed Allison—my woman. When she said she’d been celibate after we broke up, I felt honored. It meant I was still the only man who had been privileged to kiss her, touch her, and do whatever I wanted with her body. But now, I’d just found out Stefan had kissed her. Stefan laughed, wiping the blood from his lips. "You're so piss
(Allison's POV) My aunt and my brother were beyond shocked when I told them how Stefan had lied about being crippled. Aunt Hilda and I had visited Alex in his condo, and I decided to tell them about it, but I left out the part where he tried to rape me. They wouldn't take it lightly, especially Alex. I didn't want more drama, which was why I deleted that part from our conversation. "I still can't believe Stefan could lie about being crippled. I thought he was a decent man," Aunt Hilda said, clicking her tongue. I also thought the same way, but now I understood who he truly is, behind the facade he was putting on. "I'm sure he did that just to get your attention, sis. Have you talked to him?" Alex asked. He wouldn't have asked such a question if I had told him Stefan tried to rape me. He would have been on his way to confront Stefan right now. I smiled and shook my head. Ever since the day he tried to rape me, I blocked his number. Scott had insisted we file a case agains
(Allison's POV) I tried to form words, but I couldn't find the right ones to say. There was no way I could tell my son I just had sex with his father. He was too young to hear such things, but Liam being Liam would always want to know everything. Scott, on the other hand, was speechless and didn't know what to say. We could have left the hot make-out session and love-making for the night, but I was just too overwhelmed to bury myself in him, especially since it had been six years since I felt the touch of a man. "Mummy, Daddy, why aren't you both saying anything? Why do you have swollen lips?" he asked, his eyes darting between me and his daddy. "Liam!" Elena exclaimed suddenly with a smile, and Liam's eyes shifted to her. "Don't you think you should show your parents the award you got in school? You were talking about it throughout the ride, right?" "You had an award in school?" Scott asked, playing along, and my innocent son fell for it. "Yes, Daddy! I got a gold medal
(Allison's POV) "Ouch," Scott whimpered as I treated the bruises on his face. "Don't be a crybaby," I said, purposely adding pressure as I tended to his wounds. "Ow! Allie! You're doing it on purpose, aren't you?" he laughed. "No, I'm not. You're the one who should stop being a crybaby," I rolled my eyes playfully. "Really? Crybaby, huh?" he said, then tickled me. I laughed and found myself sitting on his lap. We both stared at each other, smiling. I was over the moon that I was finally back together with Scott. What I did was unjust, but he was able to forgive me. If he hadn’t intervened, Stefan would’ve raped me. It's still hard to believe he was capable of that, judging from how nice he had been to me. But that doesn’t matter anymore. What mattered now was that I was back with the man who could tame my heart—no matter how badly he had crushed it. Scott's hand went to my hair, and he caressed it gently. "I love you, Allie," he whispered, and I blushed. "You’ve
(Scott's POV) I had just finished a meeting with clients from Australia when Clara rushed into my office, informing me about Allison and telling me how she had been taking care of Stefan, who was pretending to be crippled. She gave me the address of the hotel where she was staying, and due to my connection with the owner of the hotel, I was given the room number of the suite he was in. Before I could get to the door, I heard Allison screaming from inside as she begged Stefan to let her go. Forcefully pushing the door open, I found Stefan on top of Allison, trying to rape her. I grabbed him and flung him away, not caring where he'd land. My eyes locked on Allison. She knew I was angry and filled with disappointment over what she had done, so she couldn't bear to look at me. "Scott!" Stefan spat my name, and my angry eyes fixed on him. "How dare you interrupt my moment with Allison!" he raged and rushed towards me. He managed to land a punch on my face, but I returned the
(Allison's POV) "That's an impressive design, Nica. Keep it up," I smiled at one of my employees. They were practicing new designs while I supervised them and corrected their mistakes. "You beaded the dress incorrectly, Jessica. You should start from the waist, not from the hem. Redo it if you want me to consider your design for sale." "I will, ma'am," she said, and I patted her shoulder with a smile. I was still focused on work when I received a text message from Stefan. He was asking when I'd come to see him, but I slipped my phone back into my trouser pocket and continued what I was doing. Ever since Stefan kissed me, I had barely interacted with him like I used to. I no longer got close to him. I’d just visit briefly and then leave. He had been undergoing therapy, but there had been no signs of improvement, no hope that he'd walk again. It felt exhausting, but I had started this journey with him, and I intended to finish it. I just prayed Scott wouldn't find out—es
(Writer's POV) Stefan caressed his lips with his hand as a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He stood up from the wheelchair and walked towards the table to pour himself some wine. He sipped and smiled again. He was over the moon that he could feel the warmth of Allison's lips on his. He had kissed her on purpose. "This is just the beginning, Scott. If pretending to be unable to walk for the time being is the only way to make Allison come see me every day, then I'd gladly do it. I wonder how you'd feel knowing she's lying to you and that I kissed those lips you thought were yours?" Stefan rhetorically asked, then smirked. He sipped his wine again and went back to the wheelchair to sit in it. "I won't stop until I have Allison for myself. I've waited for years just for her to say yes to me, and I won't allow you to steal her from me, Scott. She is mine," he snarled before sipping his drink again. **** A WEEK LATER Alex heaved a sigh as he stared at the skyscraper
(Allison's POV) "How can you do such a thing to my uncle, Allison? I know he hurt you in the past, but I thought you both were trying to fix your relationship," Clara asked with a hurtful voice. "It’s not what you think, Clara," I said, trying to hold her hand, but she jerked my hand away. "Not what I think? Then what am I supposed to think, Allison? My uncle loves you so much, so why are you going for a man in a wheelchair? If you no longer love my uncle, you should just tell me rather than cheating on him." "Can you stop it!" I yelled at her. She was jumping to conclusions without even allowing me to speak. Clara went silent, giving a disapproving look. "I followed you here just to give you your handbag, which you left in my care, but I wish I had just thrown it away rather than following you to discover you're cheating on my uncle!" She spat and dropped my handbag on the ground, walking away from me. "Clara!" I called, going after her and catching up. "You've got it
(Allison's POV) I woke up the following morning with a pounding headache. I had cried myself to sleep. I was extremely hurt by what Scott had said to me. I wished he hadn't told me, but then again, it was better hearing it from him than from Jenna. If Jenna had been the one to tell me, it would have felt like she had won. I wanted to hate Scott for what he did, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. Although he might have ended our relationship when he had sex with Jenna, why on earth did it have to be on the same day he shattered my heart? It hurt so much. I didn’t want to create memories of Scott’s night with Jenna, but the images kept forming in my head—how he had kissed her, how his hands had roamed over her, and worst of all, how he had given himself to her. Fuck! I shouldn’t be imagining these things because they would only hurt me more, but I couldn’t help myself. "Mummy!" Liam's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was already dressed for school—a reminder that I hadn’