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Chapter 68
Last Updated:
2025-02-23 04:23:44
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Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 69
LUCAS' POV The park was usually as dry as a desert during weekdays especially this early in the morning. It was perfectly quiet for Lucille and I to gather our thoughts and freely let out the questions on my mind. Nathan grudgingly stayed back at the company after I ordered him to because of his shameless stares at my sister who was too busy drowning in her own guilt to even throw a glance at him. “So, you killed father huh?”, I said slowly, as we walked to a slide where she sat on the steeps facing me. “I'm sorry Lucas. I didn't mean to”, she replied, her voice breaking and sounding defeated. I crouched in front of her, taking her hands into mine as I mustered a reassuring smile. “You had no choice Luci, I'm sure you were forced by the organization but why father tho?”, I asked, raising my eyebrows curiously. “And why did you leave since you already finished your mission?”, I asked again, now frowning in suspicion. She sighed heavily while withdrawing her hands from mine and p
Last Updated : 2025-02-24Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 70
LUCAS' POV We all sat down in a circle on the porch as we watched the sun set while sipping coffee which was a tradition for them as Lucille explained to me. “It's so nice to finally meet you in person Lucas”, Emily, my mother's twin sister commented breaking through the silence. She was also a blondie just like my mother and sister but her round brown eyes with slightly chubby cheekbones gave her a natural doll face appearance. I politely responded by forcing out a small smile shifting in my seat again to contain the awkward feeling I had. Being away from my real family for so long definitely made me feel out of place and like a stranger, no matter how accommodating they seemed. Asides from Lucille who easily wormed her way into my heart, Elena was still the only person I recognized as my home. Who was I kidding? She was basically family to me. Even though Aunt Emily later explained how she was the one who took me away from birth but couldn't keep me because she was being monit
Last Updated : 2025-02-24Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 71
ELENA'S POVThree days passed with me spending each day at the cemetery, always waking up next to my mother's tombstone where she was buried. Despite my swollen eyes and the urgent need to shower, I still couldn't bring myself to go back to a life without her in it. She was all I had and lived for since Dad bailed on us. Even though I refrained from saying it out loud before now but I hated him more now. If there was anyone to blame, he would take all of it and nothing less. “Elena?”, a familiar voice called from behind me while I hurriedly wiped my snot before turning around to meet him. Lucas. The boy I'd always known was shy, easily intimidated and sweet but the man standing in front of me was cold and intimidating. His neatly styled black hair made his other facial features stand out in a way that gave him an imposing aura. “Elena, what happened?”, he rushed towards me, crouching down to my level with his eyebrows raised in concern. Being the first person to show me any sense
Last Updated : 2025-02-25Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 72
LUCAS' POVElena was sound asleep in the guest bedroom when I carefully shut the door behind me heading back outside the house and getting into my car. I may have pretended not to be really affected about her mother's death but really, it took everything in me not to murder Adrian right there and then. My first stop was at Elena's mother's house which looked neat like someone still lived there. I treaded lightly up the stairs with my senses on alert as I suddenly felt I wasn't alone.Sure enough, as soon as I pushed open the door to her mother's room for a quick search around, a glint of shock flashed through my eyes on seeing the figure in front of me. “What a surprise to see you here, Mr Hawthorne”, I said, confidently leaning on the doorframe with my arms folded across my chest. His previously somber face switched to being cold and desperate. “Lucas, what are you doing here?”, he asked straightforwardly with an unfriendly gaze. I shrugged my shoulders while deeply scrutinizing h
Last Updated : 2025-02-26Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 73
ELENA'S POV I rolled endlessly to my sides unable to sleep for more than a minute without seeing the peaceful face of my mother laying in her own cold blood. It's been almost a month now and nothing plagued my dreams more than that picture. My eyes flew open as I let out a soft sigh in frustration turning around to slowly grasp my environment. I've been at Lucas place for days now and it was strange that I barely saw him. Although I was given the best care in his absence but it still felt as if he somehow built a wall around himself.Furrowing my eyebrows in suspicion, I threw the covers off me making my way to his bedroom and as usual, the sheets were well arranged with a certain sense of desolation to his room. Something was definitely going in and I had to figure it out. Lucas had been there for me through all my darkest moments and I couldn't abandon him now. Holding the thought, I cheerfully skipped to the kitchen where there was no maid in sight unlike Adrian's villa which ha
Last Updated : 2025-02-28Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 74
LUCAS' POV My head throbbed with severe pain as I weakly entered into the house planning to briefly check in on Elena then collapsing on the couch as I did in the past couple of days. Although the company had been doing great especially since I made those money launderers disguised as board members pay dearly for their wrongdoings and even threw some in prison but all the growth has meant nothing due to an emptiness I felt like a huge hole in my stomach. I knocked tiredly on the door to Elena's new bedroom waiting for a response but none seemed to be forthcoming. “Elena, are you in there?”, I asked, frowning in suspicion and just when I pushed the door open, there was no sign of her. My eyes instantly widened in alert with every sign of weariness disappearing into thin air as I raced down the stairs. “Where did she go?”, I questioned the first maid in sight, exuding coldness mixed with anxiety and panic. “Where the fuck is Elena?”, I screamed harshly this time, not caring if she
Last Updated : 2025-02-28Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 75
ELENA'S POV Resuming my job at the Hawthornes company made me more busier than expected as I was no longer under Karen but back to my former position as a senior team lead of the interior design department. “Miss Elena, it's so nice to have you back”, Eloise squealed once she saw me, also congratulating me on my pregnancy as it was beginning to show a bit. Although I seemed content on the surface at being back on track and having a little space from Adrian, I wasn't fooled by his showers of affection and pretentious care as it was all just a way of keeping his eyes on me. As for Lucas, he hadn't come around much as I instructed but he'd been busy doing some investigations concerning the tape I sent him on the night of my mother's death. Something just wasn't right about it. From everything I knew about my parents especially my mother, she was always the first to apologize to anyone as she valued her relationships dearly. I had to find out what it was and I couldn't let Adrian's
Last Updated : 2025-02-28Bound by debt; Freed by love Chapter 76
LUCAS'S POVThe pungent smell of antiseptic and sanitizer filled the hallway as I paced up and down, constantly regulating my breaths. It was the third day and Elena was yet to awaken from her unconscious state. Adrian sat on a bench in the corner with his nails digging deep into his hair. All the time, I hardly resisted the urge to tear him apart and put him in her shoes instead. Only then would the world be a better place. A doctor soon approached us wearing a stoic look on her face making it impossible to know what to expect but I drew close anyway, my eyes shining with anticipation. “Which of you is related to the patient?”, she asked, a strict and firm tone in her voice. “I am”, “I am”, Adrian and I simultaneously answered, inching closer to her with heavy breaths pounding in determination. “okay, which of you brought her here?”, she asked, squinting her eyes in confusion. “I did”, I hastily replied, turning my head to meet Adrian with a light smirk in my gaze. Somehow I'd f
Last Updated : 2025-02-28
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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
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 134
ELENA'S POV Wine didn't seem to work on me anymore as I tossed uncomfortably throughout the night, unable to get any sleep. Seeing the soft sunlight reflect through my curtains, I decided to get some work done; more like continue from where I'd left off last night. With Eloise nowhere in sight, I quickly assumed she was off to work doing something meaningful with her life anyways. Going at this pace for me, would probably take me long, painful months to get any real clients. “Fuck it”, I cursed, jogging all the way to my kitchen to make some breakfast while listening to Eloise' cover on the said David Thompson's song. David Thompson. Right. I had to do some background check on him so I swiped out my phone, typing his name and meticulously reading every article, every headline written about him. And just as I expected, there were a few terrible news about him especially concerning his divorce and scandals about his record label company. My heart skipped a beat skimming through th
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 133
ELENA'S POVIt was exactly three days since I went out for a run again, not because I was scared to see Dave again but…okay, I was scared to run into him again. So here I sat by the window with a hot coffee in hand, and my work laptop on my laps anonymously pitching my offers to potential clients; most of which were the rich people in the city. Unfortunately, the only few replies I got was them stating their need for a housekeeper. “What the fuck is wrong with these people?” I muttered to myself angrily, forcefully closing the laptop shut and heading towards the kitchen for another round of coffee. “Can I have one of that too?”, Eloise asked cheerfully behind me, a hint of amusement in her voice. Humming lowly in response, I filled an extra cup and handed it to her by the time I was done. “What's causing all the mood swings Elena?”, she asked, settling into the chair opposite me. I hissed in irritation, shifting restlessly in my chair as I seethed with frustration. “These rich peo
Bound by debt; Freed by love CHAPTER 132
LUCAS' POV Tonight was just as gloomy as the last one when we met up at this very bar, somehow hoping to meet the girls here - at least for Nathan and I. James on the other hand was unusually quiet and brooding over his third glass tonight, detached away from himself. “What is happening to us?”, Nathan questioned, stretching his arms with multiple lines of frustration running across his face. “Just when I thought I didn't matter to them and I'm happy, he just ties me to that slut?”, he ranted, yelling above the loud music blaring around us. Too occupied in my own emptiness to offer any real response, I simply nodded in understanding, acknowledging his frustrations even more clearer as I was in the same position. How convenient for my late father who never even had a glimpse of me from the time of my birth to seal my future with a devil in human form - Mr. Anderson. “Welcome to a man's world Nathan”, I finally answered, after long minutes of silence. Nathan scoffed in response, fo
