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CHAPTER 114
Huling Na-update:
2025-03-31 04:39:26
Kaugnay na kabanata
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 115
ELENA'S POV The night no longer went as bad as I expected mostly because of the comforting company of Dave as I opted to address him and the tons of compliments I got on my new look. Being a busy night as always, Dave and I didn't get to talk much as I was the only one taking care of everyone's orders but more importantly, our conversation as brief as it lasted was enough to lift my mood from its previous state. At some point when it was past midnight, there was no sight of him anymore like he'd chosen to retire early for the night which I envied now the luxury no longer existed - only a mere wish. And by the close of the night, I headed home feeling a lot lighter in my spirits and just when I was a few metres away from the familiar doorstep, the door slowly opened, revealing no one else but…Was that not Eloise's father? What was he doing out of prison already? And in the house! Oh my goodness! Eloise, please be alive. Please stay alive. The old bastard snuck a peek to his left
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-31Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 116
LUCAS' POVBreakfast had never been my thing, at least until Elena was around as she also wasn't also one. Early in our friendship, or so she probably thought, we easily clicked because of our similarities. We could both be focused when we wanted to, had dreams bigger than the world put together and weren't vulnerable with anyone other than ourselves. Perhaps it was why our separation killed me everytime. Even though it was only metres apart. ***Flashback ***My heart continued to pound as we drove through the gates of the big mansion, I'd now come to know as the Everhart Mansion. I face palmed the windows of the car taking in every sight, trying hard not to recall the scenes of the horror movies I'd watched a lot. Rolling my eyes to the strange woman quietly sitting beside me, I couldn't help but start to believe I was stupid. What if she was wrong? What if she was a damn good liar who had only deceived me to get me here? I softly squeezed the gun I'd stolen from the stud
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-01Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 117
ELENA'S POV The air in the bar tonight was more lively than usual, but my mood still remained dampened as I continued to stare into space, mixing shots robitically. “Elena, how come you're still moody? I already apologized”, Betty said, sliding her hand around my waist like she usually did in a playful manner. The clothes we were required to wear during our shifts were very uncomfortable for me as I've always held myself in an high sense of elegance since childhood. My closet was filled with monotonous clothes which were also, pants most of the time. As for the bright colorful clothes I owned, they were only a few I wore during high school and only on special outings with Lucas. So my night shifts here were always done in a grumpy mood, majorly because of the lust filled eyes fixed on me throughout the night and the number of times I'd been helpless even when disrespected. This job was my, no our only hope until I found another place to take on, which wasn't seeming so sure at t
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-02Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 118
ELENA'S POV It felt like four years ago when everything was back to normal again with an air of merriness and hopeful hearts. I walked around the house with surprise filling my gaze and uncertain steps. “Sweetheart”, my eyes snapped up in the direction of the voice I'd almost forgotten, freezing in place as I stared at my mother. “Mom? Is, is that you?”, I asked, my feet flying towards her and gripping her tight to my self while bursting into tears. “O my baby girl”, she said, sniffling in between and stroking my hair. “I missed you so much. How could you leave me like that?”, I sobbed in her arms, feeling like a little girl all over again as she had been my safe space since my childhood. She apologized over and over, our tears soaking each other's shoulders until we ran out of breath, finally disentangling from the hug and flashing bright smiles towards ourselves. So it was all a bad dream afterall. My mother wasn't really gone. She was right here with me. “Where's Dad by the w
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-03Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 119
LUCAS' POV Twice. Twice now, I thought I'd lost her. It was like fate enjoyed making my stomach churn in regret, paying me back for the one time I broke our promise. To always be with each other. The reoccurring scene of Sofia kissing me out of the blue didn't also help matters. As I stared solemnly at Elena's pale and lifeless body, her bitter laced words and fireballs in her eyes were far more bearable than being without her. I could take all her hate just as long as she didn't disappear on me. How would she ever know my life without her in it had no meaning? “What the fuck was that?”, I raged, pushing Sofia off only to see an empty space right where Elena stood earlier. “Shit! shit! What had I just done?”, I muttered, pulling my hair forcefully. Sofia on the other hand, smirked cunningly with her back leaned comfortably against the sofa as she popped open the bottle on the table. “Relax Lucas. She's going to come around real soon. Trust me, I'm a woman”, she assured, a lazy an
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-04Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 120
ELENA'S POVThe loud sounds of wailing filled my ward, almost making me believe I had died and was being grieved over. Nathan, Lucas and I simultaneously stared at each other then shifting our gazes back to Eloise who wept like a baby with her head on my laps. “I should have never left you alone. I'm so sorry. I can't forgive myself for what happened to you, Elena”, she sobbed heartbreakingly, her tears soaking through the hospital gown on me while my hands laid helplessly beside me, not knowing what to do with them.“It…it's okay. I, I'm fine now Eloise”, I muttered hesitantly, a deep frown covering my eyebrows in deep contemplation on how to console her. During the past few days she had spent at Nathan's place as I advised, mostly insisted, her features now looked brighter along with a certain glow I couldn't quite place. Except the tears streaming down her face and smudging her makeup all over the place. “Eloise, Eloise, I'm fine. You don't have to—”“No you're not”, she counter
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-05Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 121
LUCAS' POV My fingers trembled with joy holding her bags while strolling behind her, watching as she went into the house with a straight face. She will get used to it soon. This was her home and I hoped she learnt to love it soon. As we stepped into the living room, Elena and I suddenly stopped halfway turning our heads around with a deep frown forming on my face. Just as my lips began to purse tightly refraining from cursing out loud, Sofia descended downstairs wearing a bright smile on her face, making my hands itched to tear it off. “What is this?”, I asked, barely getting a grip on myself. Her eyes brightened even more as she turned in the direction of Elena with a polite nod. “Relax Lucas, I somehow managed to hear we were going to have a guest for a while and even though it was short notice, I still had to put all this together for her”, she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice like I was the stupid one. Seconds ticked by without a response from me so she walked up to
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-07Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 122
ELENA'S POV‘Hate is a strong word to say’, my mother always said each time I ranted on and on about a certain person that wronged me that day. I have never been the forgiving type and usually, it always took me longer than normal to snap out of my overflowing kindness and patience towards anyone. But as I watched him disappear farther and farther into the distance away from me, into the cold we were no longer strangers to, Hate only seemed to downplay the raging emotions I felt towards him. It was a line he'd been crossing more frequently than often in the past few days. How dare he use her to back up his threats? A cold frost of air huffed through my nostrils followed by the incessant ringing of my phone. “Hello”, I said, knotting my eyebrows close together in a defensive manner. “Elena”, a voice I could recognize even in my afterlife, coursing the rage within me a hundred times faster. Too angry to give any reply, I hung up immediately storming off into the house and heading s
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-08
Pinakabagong kabanata
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 143
LUCAS' POVEverything else faded into oblivion the moment she walked in through those doors. The memories of last night flooded my head and just when I imagined tearing off from my seat and kissing her publicly to let everyone know she was mine, Sofia leaned into my ears to whisper, “Do you see that red dot on her shoulders?”, she asked, making me squint a little before I could see it. “My father wouldn't mind turning this into a blood bath once he senses any form of embarrassment from the both of us. I've already lost the one person I love and I can tell you it's not a pretty experience Lucas”, she said, a loving smile spreading on her face while her eyes pierced coldly into mine. I turned sideways to face her, returning the cold smile while caressing her cheeks to distract the public from the gun on my other hand poking her stomach below. “Then your father will not be the most scariest man you know, because if she goes down, you do…starting with the bastard in here”, I replied, wi
Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 142
ELENA'S POV A soft sound of the door creaking open awakened me from my light sleep filled with only memories of the past. Despite the spur of the moment last night leading to everything Lucas said, somehow there was just no space to believe in them anymore. Maybe he meant it at the time but the sneaking bastard now quietly shutting my door proved me right. Perhaps if I was the angry antsy teenager he met, I'd be screaming his head off while overflowing with regret and lots of unknown emotions flowing through me, but I'd had enough to care anymore by now. Okay, admit I cared apparently. We were both matured adults and last night would forever remain forgotten and unspoken. I rolled to the other side, finding a note on the drawers next to the side he laid on last night which said only three words, “I’m sorry Elena”. Son of a b****! How convenient of him to suddenly regret his actions now he was starting a new life. “Breathe Elena”, I tried to calm myself, regulating my breaths and
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 141
ELENA'S POVThe ride back to the event's location was silent, mostly with me brooding and on the edge while Dave's was to avoid provoking my sharp claws. As we arrived at our destination, my eyes widened in surprise then excitement, taking in the view of the most beautiful and expensive hotel in the city. Before everything went south in my family, most of my private clients bitterly complained on how difficult it was to book this hall. Hmmm. Whoever got this place definitely had to be related to the president, I thought. Dave and I walked inside while he introduced me to the managers, informing them of my job here and as I beamed uncontrollably, still floating in my head, a lady walked up to join the circle, staring at me harder than normal. My eyes narrowed into slits feeling uncomfortable with her unapologetic stares and just when I had reached my limits, she blurted out, “Are you by any chance Elena Bradford?”, she asked. My stomach sank realizing the tone in her voice but I c
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 140
NATHAN'S POV It was crazy how rarely I visited Lucas' company despite being his business advisor for years now. According to my knowledge as well, Lucas was also hardly ever here as well. More than half of the employees definitely didn't recognize me but I could care less anyways because I wasn't here for them - I was here on an errand from that cunning motherfucker, Lucas. The door to my office automatically opened as there was a face detector on it, making it the only office in the company that couldn't be compromised. Lucas had refused to increase the security into his office, saying dumb stuffs like “They'll just fine another way to break in without my knowledge, but you”, he patted me on the shoulder like it was supposed to be an encouragement. “They wouldn't give you much attention so they wouldn't see me coming…at all”. Just as I stepped inside the office, barely taking in the fresh scent of lavender and the breathtaking view from my large window occupying the entire east s
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 139
ELOISE’ POVMy heart ran wild and was continuously filled with chaotic thoughts yet releasing different words from my mouth. The mix of beats surrounding me through my heavy headphones all sounded distorted, making me feel like I was drowning and there was no one coming to save me. “...Hold on cause I'm letting go. I'm gonna—” I paused abruptly, noticing the heavy silence around me which wasn't a good thing. Spending half of my day behind a glass filled with lots of impatient and expectant eyes while I performed was not at all included in my expectations to be a part of the entertainment world. I could feel the glares piercing through the glass like lasers and imagined them drilling into my skin just like Elena's betrayal. Actually, hers stung more than this.Why was it so hard to support me? Just when I finally started to have something for myself. If she could go through her toxic marriage with Adrian, get heartbroken by Lucas and pick herself up then why couldn't I? What was it
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 138
ELENA'S POV My eyes flurried open, gradually adjusting to the soft beams of sunlight resting on my face. I stretched more comfortably, suddenly pausing as my body finally sensed the unfamiliar surface where I laid. Turning my face to take a look, my lungs gave way to a shrieking sound but thankfully, sighting Dave laying peacefully on the sofa opposite mine made me swallow the panic rising to my throat. How could I have done this? Yanking the covers off my body, I jerked into a sitting position trying to make sense of the situation with a lot of questions buzzing around my head. How had I fallen asleep in a stranger's house? How did I not scream myself awake somewhere in the middle of the night? This was all too much for me, I had to get out of here. With light and careful steps, I finally stepped outside racing all the way to my house and collapsing on my couch, breathing hardly. “Elena?”, Eloise' voice came from behind me, circling me with suspicion in her eyes. “Oh Elly, w-wh
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 137
LUCAS' POV Not so surprisingly, the recordings from the cameras in my office had been wiped out, making me order for all the cameras to be removed. There was no use for them anyways since their locations had been found already. The culprit could have been Henry or any other pawn and despite how impatient I felt in digging out the root of the case, I knew it would only do the opposite of the results I really wanted. ‘patience, patience, Lucas’, I chanted repeatedly underneath my breath with my knuckles resting on my desk as I watched them dispose all the cameras, not knowing whether to be angry or sad. Despite my tough and cold exterior that night as I threatened him - meaning every of those words still, the sting from the betrayal still hurt deeply more than anything. I'd thought giving him a promotion and making him the acting CEO during times when I was out the country for a meeting or business dinner would make him realize my sole trust in him and recognition as my brother.
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 136
ELENA'S POV Dear Miss Elena, we sincerely appreciate your offer to design the hall for the party. Please take a look at the contract details below and let us know if you need any clarifications. We'd be happy to help! I blinked twice at my screen still in awe at Dave's commitment to helping me soothe my frustrations and bring my dreams to life. How come he still went ahead with this plan even when I'd asked him to stay away from me? No. This was just too unfair. He didn't have to do all these because my response was still the same. The past few years of my life had been traumatic and still overwhelming at the slightest thought of it. No one, not even Eloise knew about my constant nightmares and the pills stacked up under my pillow that helped me sleep soundly. That's right! I had ran out of those and needed to restock soon. “Hey Lena”, Eloise said, jumping in on the bed and snuggling up to me. My eyes froze into the empty space in front of me, surprised at her sudden entrance whi
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 135
NATHAN'S POVThe Brooks family was among the top five wealthiest in Atlanta - a city known for its beautiful summer sights and most times, a substitute of Vegas. Casinos, drugs and trafficking thrived bountifully underneath the beautiful women and all the fun you could find there. Despite my family always emphasizing my addiction to fun and lots of women flicking around me, somewhere deep down inside my heart accused them for bringing me up here in the first place. My father for instance, was never a better example than any of us as we - my brother and I grew up to see different shades and sizes of women leaving his bedroom every morning. At a very young age, we made countless trips to the casino watching how he handled deals with a few of his ‘businessmen’ and how we feared he might lose his life sometimes. Fortunately, it didn't take long to get used to the tense atmosphere mixed with thick smoke and the smell of pipes and drugs in the air. Not so surprisingly, it soon became m
