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Behind Close Doors
Last Updated:
2024-11-29 21:58:17
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By Chance, By Fate Unforgiven
54Alex---My phone buzzed against the nightstand, the vibration cutting through the oppressive silence of my room. I didn’t need to look to know who it was. Charlotte had been calling incessantly since our last argument. I ignored it, letting the phone buzz itself into silence, but it barely lasted a minute before it started vibrating again. I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling to the surface. Another buzz. Then another. She wouldn’t stop. Finally, I grabbed the phone and stared at the screen. Charlotte. The name glared back at me, her persistence as relentless as ever. She’d sent a flurry of messages too, all variations of the same theme: Why are you ignoring me? Please call me back.I sighed, swiping up to answer. “What, Charlotte?” “What?!” she shrieked, her voice crackling through the speaker. “Is that seriously how you’re going to greet your fiancée? The woman you’re engaged to?” “Charlotte, I’m not in the mood for this right now,” I said, pinching the bridge of
Last Updated : 2024-11-29By Chance, By Fate Fix It!
55AlexI strode toward the door, each step heavy with determination, but Charlotte’s voice sliced through the air behind me like a whip. “Stop right there, Alex!” I froze, my back to her. My shoulders stiffened, fists curling at my sides. Her words held the kind of authority I’d grown to resent. I didn’t turn around. I didn’t have to. “What now, Charlotte?” I asked, my tone calm, though the exhaustion seeped through every word. “You think you can just walk out like that?” Her heels clicked sharply on the marble floor as she closed the distance between us. “After everything I’ve done for you? After everything I’ve sacrificed?” I glanced back at her over my shoulder, my patience worn thin. “I apologized. I said I’d try. What more do you want from me?” Her eyes glistened with tears, but there was nothing soft about her expression—only anger and desperation. “You think a forced apology is enough? You think you can just check a box and leave? I’m your fiancée, Alex! Your partner
Last Updated : 2024-11-30By Chance, By Fate I'm Done!
56AlexThe weight of my father’s text hung heavy over me. “Fix it.”Two words, cold and commanding, but that was his way. Always issuing orders, never asking questions. Being the son of the President of the United States wasn’t a privilege—it was a leash. One I had worn for as long as I could remember. I leaned back on the armchair, running my hands over my face. Fix it. Fix what? My relationship with Charlotte? Or the PR nightmare he feared was brewing in the background? The phone buzzed again, pulling me from my thoughts. Another text. "We have a meeting tomorrow at 8 a.m. sharp. Bring her." A meeting? With Charlotte? My stomach churned. It wasn’t enough that I was drowning in the wreckage of my relationship; now I had to parade her around like everything was fine? I knew how this would play out. He’d want a photo-op—a happy couple, arm in arm, showing the world that the First Son wasn’t as much of a screw-up as the tabloids claimed. I stared at the screen, my t
Last Updated : 2024-11-30By Chance, By Fate Flight For Italy
57Alex As the words left his mouth, a part of me wanted to laugh. Not because it was funny, but because it was exactly what I expected him to say. My father, the President of the United States, master manipulator, king of ultimatums. I should’ve been used to it by now. But hearing it—feeling the finality of it—still hit me like a punch to the gut.I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his icy gaze. I wouldn’t let him see how much it hurt. Not this time. “This isn’t about crawling back,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my chest. “This is about finally living for myself. For once.” He arched an eyebrow, his face unreadable, but I could see the faintest flicker of disbelief in his eyes. My father didn’t believe in people walking away from him. He didn’t believe in losing. “And what exactly does ‘living for yourself’ look like, Alex?” he asked, his tone dripping with skepticism. “Running off to some cabin in the woods? Disappearing from the public eye while the w
Last Updated : 2024-11-30By Chance, By Fate Italy, I'm here!
58Alex “Anything.”“Don’t give up on this family. On your future.” His eyes bore into mine, intense and unwavering. “You’re too important to us—to me—to walk away.”I swallowed hard, his words reverberating through me like an echo in an empty chamber. A lump formed in my throat, but I managed to nod, unable to summon a response. His unrelenting gaze stayed with me even as I turned to leave, and by the time I reached the hallway, a seed of something new had planted itself within me. It wasn’t guilt. It wasn’t rebellion. It was resolve.This trip wasn’t an abandonment—it was a declaration. An opportunity to shed the suffocating weight of my name, my legacy, and figure out who I was beyond them. The next hours flew by in a blur of paperwork, diplomatic clearance, and hurried goodbyes. I packed my essentials, my mind running on autopilot, already a world away. Before I left, I ran into Liam. He stood at the entrance of the house, hands in his pockets, a slight frown on his face. “A
Last Updated : 2024-11-30By Chance, By Fate Come Back Now!
59AlexThe next morning, the buzz of my phone jolted me awake. My head ached, my body heavy with exhaustion. The long flight, the late night with Francesca’s family—it had all caught up to me. I groaned and buried my face in the pillow, ignoring the insistent vibration.The phone kept ringing.“Ugh, stop…” I mumbled, blindly reaching out toward the nightstand. My hand hit the edge of the small table, fumbling for the phone. It slipped from my grasp and clattered onto the floor.I let it ring again. And again.Finally, I gave in, dragging myself up and grabbing the phone from the ground. I didn’t even check the caller ID. Pressing the answer button, I slurred into the receiver, my voice heavy with sleep. “Hello?”“Alex.”The voice on the other end froze me in place. It was cold, sharp, unmistakable. My father.All traces of sleep vanished instantly. I sat up straight, my heart pounding. “Dad? What…? What’s going on?”His tone was clipped, business-like. “I need you to come back to the
Last Updated : 2024-11-30By Chance, By Fate Just for a Gala?!
60AlexThe car ride to the White House was suffocating. My fists stayed clenched the entire way, my nails digging into my palms as I stared out the tinted windows at the streets of Washington, D.C. My anger churned in my chest, a wildfire threatening to consume me. Why had he called me back? Why couldn’t he at least explain what was so urgent? The trip to Italy had felt like a lifeline—an escape—and now it was ripped away before it even began. The car finally pulled up to the White House gates. Familiar security guards nodded as the vehicle passed through. As the massive building loomed closer, I felt the weight of its walls bearing down on me. I wanted to march straight in, demand answers, and not leave until I had them. Once inside, one of my father’s aides—his right-hand man, Mr. Lewis—was already waiting for me in the marble-floored foyer. “Mr. Alex,” he said briskly, adjusting his glasses. “The President is expecting you. He’s in his study.” Of course he was. The study
Last Updated : 2024-11-30By Chance, By Fate Nightmare
61AlexThe next morning, I woke up feeling like someone had stuffed lead into my chest. The weight of last night's argument with my father pressed down on me like a physical force, suffocating and relentless. The anxiety that had become a constant presence gnawed at my insides, clawing at me, making it feel like my chest was caving in. The charity gala was hours away, but the thought of it made me want to crawl into a hole and hide. There was no escaping it. No way to avoid the role I had to play. I had to wear the mask. Pretend everything was fine. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, I was dressed in a tailored black tuxedo that felt more like a straitjacket than formal wear. I adjusted my tie in the mirror, but the reflection staring back at me was unrecognizable. The rigid posture. The forced smile. I could feel it all, the way it clung to me like a second skin. A mask I had worn for so long that I didn’t even know what my real face looked like anymore. “Let’s get th
Last Updated : 2024-11-30
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By Chance, By Fate Epilogue
Epilogue Four months later,AlexThe day started like any other, though I had this odd sense that something was off. Liam had been unusually secretive for the past week—whispering into his phone, disappearing for hours, and giving me these coy little smiles that made me both suspicious and amused.“Are you hiding something from me?” I’d asked him over breakfast that morning.“Who, me?” he replied, his face the picture of innocence. “Never.”I rolled my eyes but let it go. If Liam had a secret, I’d find out eventually.The day passed uneventfully, and by the time evening rolled around, I was half-convinced he’d forgotten my birthday entirely.“Get dressed,” he said, popping his head into the bedroom. “Something nice.”“Why?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.“Just trust me,” he said with a grin, disappearing again before I could press him further.---An hour later, we were in the car, heading to a destination he refused to disclose. My curiosity was driving me insane, but I tried to play i
By Chance, By Fate 150
150AlexMoving in with Liam felt surreal, like stepping into a dream I didn’t dare believe I could have. His apartment—our apartment now—was warm and inviting, filled with little pieces of him that I was quickly coming to adore. A framed photo of his childhood dog sat on the mantel, his collection of vintage vinyl records lined the shelves, and a faint scent of cedar lingered in the air.“Home sweet home,” Liam said, tossing his keys onto the counter as we stepped inside.I dropped my bags by the door and glanced around. “It’s still sinking in that this is real.”He grinned, pulling me into a hug. “It’s real, Alex. This is us now.”Just then, the doorbell rang, breaking the moment. Liam sighed, releasing me. “That’ll be Daniel. He insisted on helping us settle in.”“And Sophia?” I asked, half-joking. “Is she coming too?”“Of course,” Liam said, smirking. “Those two are attached at the hip these days.”---Sure enough, Daniel and Sophia arrived with bags of food and a bottle of wine.
By Chance, By Fate 149
149AlexThe morning air was sharp as I stepped out of my car, nerves bouncing in my chest. Daniel was already waiting for me near the café, leaning casually against the doorframe like he had all the time in the world. His calmness was infuriating, especially since I was a mess.“Relax,” Daniel said as I approached. “You’re not going into battle.”“Feels like I am,” I muttered, shoving my hands into my coat pockets. “This isn’t just about me anymore. It’s about Liam… and Sophia, for some reason.”Daniel smirked. “You’ll thank her. Trust me.”I raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. We stepped inside, and there they were—Liam and Sophia, sitting at a table in the corner.They had come here to USA to see us and we took a rendez vous here. Liam looked as tense as I felt, his jaw tight, eyes scanning the room nervously. Sophia, on the other hand, exuded a calm confidence, sipping her coffee like this was a regular Tuesday.When Liam’s eyes met mine, I froze. The weight of everything—the lie
By Chance, By Fate 148
148AlexFew days later,Daniel paced back and forth in my room, a mix of anger and determination etched across his face. His fists were clenched, and I could see he was holding himself back from exploding.“You’re not going to believe this,” he finally said, stopping in front of me.I sat on the edge of my bed, my heart sinking at his tone. “What is it?”He hesitated for a moment, then blurted out, “Charlotte’s lying. She’s not pregnant, Alex.”My stomach dropped. “What?”“She’s lying!” Daniel repeated, his voice louder this time. “I overheard her on the phone with one of her friends. She was laughing about how she tricked you into staying. She said it was the only way to keep you from running off with Liam.”I stared at him, my mind reeling. “Are you sure about this?”“Positive.” His jaw tightened. “I even recorded part of the conversation. I figured you’d need proof.”He pulled out his phone and played the audio. It was Charlotte’s voice, clear as day, bragging about her manipulati
By Chance, By Fate 147
147AlexAfter everything that happened, I could barely think straight—well, no pun intended. I couldn’t shake the chaos of the past few weeks. Liam was miles away in Norway, dealing with his own mess, while I was stuck here with Charlotte, pretending like my life wasn’t falling apart.It wasn’t like I didn’t think about leaving her. I did. Every single day. The problem was, Charlotte knew how to play the game better than anyone. The moment she sensed I was pulling away, she dropped the bomb.“I’m pregnant.”Those two words stopped me dead in my tracks.“What?” I stammered, blinking at her as if I’d misheard.Charlotte crossed her arms, her lips twisting into that smug smile she always wore when she knew she had the upper hand. “You heard me. I’m pregnant, Alex. So whatever you’re thinking about doing, just stop. You’re not going anywhere.”I stared at her, my mind racing. “You’re… how? When?”She rolled her eyes like I was the dumbest person alive. “Do you really need a biology lesso
By Chance, By Fate 146
146Liam After Alex left, I immediately booked a business-class flight to Norway. My head was spinning, and my chest felt tight as I made my way through the airport. The scandal had erupted faster than I could comprehend, and now everything was unraveling.The messages from Sophia, my wife, wouldn’t stop coming. My phone buzzed incessantly in my pocket, and each time her name lit up the screen, I felt another wave of frustration. She knew why I’d gone to the USA. She knew I’d gone to see Alex. But being caught? That was the part she couldn’t handle.Her last message burned in my mind: "You’ve humiliated me, Liam. Fix this. Now."As if fixing this was as easy as flipping a switch.I leaned back in my seat as the plane took off, closing my eyes in a futile attempt to relax. But the stress kept clawing at me. My mother had called too, several times. I refused to pick up. Not now. I couldn’t deal with her fury and the barrage of accusations over the phone. Whatever was coming, I’d face i
By Chance, By Fate 145
145AlexI paced the room, my phone clutched so tightly in my hand that my knuckles had turned white. My breathing was shallow, and my chest felt like it was being crushed under a massive weight. The headlines were everywhere, and the notifications on my phone wouldn’t stop. Every second, there was another call, another message, another piece of my life falling apart.“Alex, you need to calm down,” Liam said, his voice steady but soft. He reached for me, but I stepped away, shaking my head.“Calm down?” I snapped, my voice trembling. “Are you kidding me right now? Do you see what’s happening? My parents are going to kill me! My dad already hates that I’m even remotely involved in politics, and now this? A scandal with a prince? God, Liam, what were we thinking?”“We weren’t thinking,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair. “We were just… feeling. And I don’t regret it, Alex. Not for a second.”“Well, I do!” The words came out before I could stop them, and the moment they did, I
By Chance, By Fate 144
144Alex's POVI was so shocked to see him standing there. Of all the places, of all the nights, Liam showed up here. At first, I thought I was imagining things—the dim lighting of the bar, the soft hum of alcohol in my veins. But no, it was really him. His face, those familiar blue eyes that haunted me for years, the slight stubble along his jaw that hadn’t been there before.To be honest, I’d missed him.Not that I’d admit it, at least not right now. Not after everything. But seeing him in the flesh brought back memories I had buried so deep I thought they’d never resurface. The way he used to laugh at my stupid jokes. The way he’d look at me like I was the only person in the room. And, of course, the way he shattered me when he left.I tried to keep my composure, but my voice betrayed me as I asked, "What the hell are you doing here?"His answer was almost laughable in its simplicity. "I needed to see you," he said, as if that excused everything."To say what?" I shot back, narrowi
By Chance, By Fate 143
143LiamThe moment we stepped through the grand doors of the palace, the heavy aroma of fresh lilies greeted us, mingling with the faint scent of polished marble. Queen Ingrid, my mother, stood at the foot of the grand staircase, her regal demeanor faltering for a moment as she took in our unexpected return. Her icy blue eyes, so much like mine, narrowed slightly, betraying her shock.“Liam,” she began, her voice laced with surprise. “And Sophia. Back so soon? I thought you were supposed to be in Bora Bora for another week.”I forced a smile, trying to keep my composure. “Ah, yes, Mother. There was, uh, an issue with the resort,” I said, fumbling for a plausible excuse. “Something about a mix-up with our accommodations. It wasn’t… ideal.”Sophia, ever the composed partner, chimed in seamlessly. “It was a shame, really. The resort was stunning, but the management couldn’t seem to get anything right. Liam thought it would be better if we cut the trip short.”Queen Ingrid’s brows lifted
