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Confused and Trapped
Last Updated:
2024-11-02 19:58:17Related chapters
By Chance, By Fate What? work with him?
8AlexI had barely slept, my mind racing with thoughts of Daniel and the look on his face as he walked away. I needed to talk to him, to explain everything. As I stepped into the hotel lobby, the polished marble underfoot felt like a gauntlet of judgment, each step echoing my anxiety. Part of me couldn’t believe he’d reacted so intensely, almost like he was overreacting.Finding him was easier than I expected. He was in a quiet corner, his back to me, hands shoved into his pockets. I took a deep breath and approached, my heart pounding.“Daniel?” I said, my voice tentative.He turned slowly, his expression unreadable but hurt evident in his eyes. “What do you want, Alex?”“I wanted to explain—”“Explain what?” he interrupted sharply, his voice almost bitter. “How you’ve been lying to me? How you’ve been sneaking around with Liam?”“It’s not like that,” I pleaded, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. “I didn’t mean to keep things from you. I just… I didn’t know how to tell you.”He s
Last Updated : 2024-11-03By Chance, By Fate I Don't Have A Choice
9AlexMy father’s voice was sharp, snapping me back to attention.“One more thing, Alex,” he said, pausing just enough to let the weight of his words settle.“Yes, Dad?”He took a step closer, his face expressionless but his eyes piercing. “I know your feelings toward the Brighmores are… complicated, to say the least. We’ve had our issues with their family, and I understand why you might despise working with them. But put that aside. Focus on the summit and the bigger picture. Can you do that?”I felt my throat tighten, and it took everything to keep my voice steady. “Yes, I understand.”His eyes narrowed, watching me closely. “Don’t just say it. I need you to mean it, Alex. This alliance isn’t just about pleasantries—it’s about solidifying our family’s position. The future of of the presidency, of everything we’ve worked for, depends on this. So whatever history or… personal feelings you might have, I expect you to rise above them.”A bitter laugh threatened to slip out, but I held
Last Updated : 2024-11-05By Chance, By Fate The Tension In The Air
10Alex The tension in the air felt almost suffocating as I was about to respond to Liam when suddenly, a man in a suit appeared at the entrance of the corridor. He cleared his throat, and my eyes flicked to him in annoyance. The last thing I wanted right now was to be interrupted.“Mr. Morgan, Mr. Brighmore,” the man said, his tone formal and clipped, “if you’re ready, we’ve been assigned a private room for the speech rehearsal. We’ll need to start soon.”I glanced at Liam, his jaw set and his eyes dark with something I couldn't quite place. He exhaled sharply, his lips thinning, and I could sense the frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. He must’ve been feeling it too—the weight of our unspoken words hanging between us like an invisible rope ready to snap. I almost wanted to take the man’s offer just to escape the awkwardness.Liam turned to the man, nodding curtly. “Lead the way.”I didn’t even look at him as I followed, keeping a few paces behind as we made our way dow
Last Updated : 2024-11-08By Chance, By Fate Coffee Incident
11Alex“Goddamn it, Liam!” I snapped, standing up so abruptly that my chair scraped loudly against the floor. My voice was louder than I intended, and I could feel the heat rising in my chest. “What the hell is wrong with you?”Liam’s eyes widened as he scrambled to grab a napkin, attempting to dab at the coffee stain on my shirt. His fingers trembled, making the mess worse. “Shit, Alex, I didn’t mean—”I slapped the napkin away, not caring that coffee splashed onto my hand. It burned, but I didn’t even register it. I was too pissed off. “You think this is funny?” I spat, eyes narrowing on him as my voice dropped to a dangerous growl. “Is this some kind of joke to you?”“No, I...” Liam’s voice softened, but there was still a trace of amusement in his eyes that only made my blood boil further. “Look, it was an accident. Just calm down.”“Calm down?” I shook my head, my fists clenching at my sides. “You ruin my shirt, and you think I’m supposed to *calm down*? Are you out of your damn
Last Updated : 2024-11-09By Chance, By Fate Coffee Incident 2
12AlexJust as my anger reached its boiling point, ready to snap completely, a sharp knock echoed through the room. The sound was jarring, cutting through the tension like a knife.I froze, my chest heaving as I fought to keep my emotions in check. My fists were still clenched, every muscle in my body trembling with the effort not to unleash what I was holding back.“Seriously?” Liam’s voice broke through, dripping with mockery. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the door. “You’re gonna answer that? You’ve been losing your mind over a damn coffee stain, and now you’re stopping for a knock?”My eyes narrowed, my voice coming out low, barely controlled. “I’m not in the mood for this right now, Liam.” The words felt heavy on my tongue as I stood there, wrestling down the fire threatening to spill over. A second passed, and then another, before I forced myself to turn toward the door. “Stay the hell out of my way.”Liam shifted, stepping back with a smug grin. “Whatever. It’s not like y
Last Updated : 2024-11-10By Chance, By Fate Trapped
13AlexThe phone’s shrill ring cut through the tension in the room, a piercing reminder that the world outside our argument still existed.I hesitated, the weight of Liam’s words pressing into my chest like iron. Without looking at him, I picked up the phone and pressed it to my ear.“Prince Alex,” a voice snapped through the receiver, tight with urgency. “We need you both downstairs now. There’s been a security breach.”My stomach dropped. “We’re on our way,” I said, the chill in my voice masking the sudden rush of nerves. I hung up and glanced at Liam. He was watching me, the usual defiance in his eyes replaced with something unreadable.“Security breach,” I said, my tone clipped. “We need to move.”Liam’s expression shifted, a flicker of worry passing over his features before he pushed himself away from the wall. He nodded, the tension in the room between us easing into something colder, more focused.Whatever storm had raged between us was momentarily forgotten as we stepped out
Last Updated : 2024-11-11By Chance, By Fate A Kiss of Deception
14LiamThe sudden lurch of the elevator jerked me back to reality, snapping my thoughts like a rubber band. My heart had been hammering, the aftershocks of the panic attack still lingering in my chest like an open wound. I’d been shaking, but I tried to hide it. I knew Alex could see it, though—he’d been too damn close the whole time, and damn if I didn’t feel that.The crackle of the speaker had broken the silence in the elevator, the voice of some technician saying, “We’ve isolated the issue. Hang tight, we’re getting you out now.”Thank God. I didn’t know how much more of this I could take, the air so tight, every breath a struggle, but it was easing. Slowly. Not fast enough for me, but at least I wasn’t about to lose it again.Alex hadn’t said anything at first. I could feel him watching me, waiting for me to pull myself together. I wanted to tell him to stop looking at me like that, like he was waiting for me to fall apart again. But I couldn’t. He was trying to help. I knew he
Last Updated : 2024-11-12By Chance, By Fate Liam's Feelings
15LiamThe emotions were a chaotic mess inside me, each one fighting for dominance. Anger. Frustration. And underneath it all, a deep, gnawing jealousy that I couldn’t suppress, no matter how hard I tried.The room felt even colder, the air thick with tension. I could barely focus on the discussions about the security threat, my eyes involuntarily drawn back to Alex and Charlotte. She was standing so close to him, her hand on his arm, her face soft with concern. I could hear her voice, gentle, almost intimate as she said, “Are you sure you’re okay? You look tense.”For a moment, I hated how effortlessly they seemed to fit together. It was like everything I had hoped for, everything I had been too afraid to acknowledge, was right there in front of me. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to look away.I heard Alex reply in his usual calm tone, but the words barely registered. “I’m fine, Charlotte. Just a lot going on right now.”I tried to focus on the briefing, on the task at hand, b
Last Updated : 2024-11-13
Latest chapter
By Chance, By Fate 83
83AlexDuring the day, even the maids couldn’t stop whispering about Liam Brighmore’s engagement to his best friend, Sophia. Their voices floated through the corridors, stinging my ears every time I overheard their chatter. I clenched my jaw, trying to block out their words, but they echoed in my mind nonetheless. Marrying her? Liam? The same Liam who used to tell me I was the love of his life? The same Liam who swore he’d stand by me when we exposed our relationship? I rubbed my temples, pacing my room as the weight of his betrayal pressed down on me. “It doesn’t make sense,” I muttered to myself. “He’s gay. He told me... he told me he loved me.” Lie. All of it. Lies. The realization hit like a punch to the gut. Liam had lied about everything. About us. About the future he told me he dreamed of. And now, he was engaged to her? My throat tightened as I thought of Sophia, with her perfect smile and flawless reputation. The world adored her. Of course, they did. She was everyth
By Chance, By Fate 82
Alex The next day, I was brooding in my room when there was a soft knock at the door. I stiffened, knowing it could only be one person. After our last argument, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to face her.“Come in,” I called out flatly, my voice still tinged with bitterness—not just from last night, but from our previous clash.Elena poked her head in, her brow furrowed with concern. She hesitated at the doorway, as if gauging whether I’d throw her out. “Alex? Can I talk to you for a minute?”I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms defensively. “What is it, Elena? Come to tell me again how I should marry Charlotte and save the family's reputation?”Her expression faltered, a flash of guilt crossing her face before she closed the door and stepped inside. “Alex, I didn’t come to argue. I heard about the news... about Liam Brighmore’s engagement.” She studied me carefully, her voice soft. “How are you holding up?”I scoffed, shaking my head as I turned away. “Why do you care? I’m sure yo
By Chance, By Fate 81
81Alex "You've got to be kidding me," I mumbled under my breath, still staring at the screen.Liam Brighmore. The words on the screen felt like a slap to my face. Prince Liam Brighmore... marrying Sophia Belleville in three days. I sat frozen, staring at the screen, my mind struggling to wrap around what I was seeing. This wasn’t just news—it was a punch to my gut.Liam? Marrying her? My fingers trembled as I gripped the remote tighter, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away. His smiling face, so composed, so damn perfect, was plastered all over the screen. The same Liam who had once begged me to be with him, the same Liam who’d whispered sweet promises into my ear like he was the only one who could make me feel alive. And now? Now he was getting married."Unbelievable," I whispered, my voice raw with disbelief. How? How could he do this? How could he go from swearing he was in love with me to... this? It was as if everything he'd said to me had been a lie.A tight knot formed in my ches
By Chance, By Fate 80
80AlexWeeks had passed since I walked out on Charlotte and Damon, and now the weight of the situation was beginning to settle heavily on my chest. The tension in our family had only grown, each day making me feel like a bad son. The guilt gnawed at me like an insistent pest, threatening to swallow me whole. I could barely sleep without the nagging thought that I had somehow failed them all. But I couldn’t undo what I had done, no matter how much it haunted me.I was walking through the hallway of the mansion when I heard my father's voice booming from the study. His words were sharp, and the anger behind them was unmistakable. I paused for a moment, feeling the tension build, knowing I had to face him."You've put me in a hell of a position, Alex!" My father's voice rang out, his tone like a whip, crackling with fury. "I had everything under control until you decided to act like a damn child!"I could feel my heart race in my chest as I approached the door, the air in the house thic
By Chance, By Fate 79
79LiamThe silence stretched so long it felt like it could suffocate me. I turned to my mother, my jaw tight as I tried to keep my frustration from boiling over.“Mother,” I said sharply, my voice trembling with the effort to stay calm, “how could you plan a wedding without even asking me? Without—without us?”She raised a perfectly arched brow, clearly unimpressed with my outburst. “Liam, don’t be dramatic. The two of you have been together for months. The entire kingdom expects this. It’s what’s best for all of us.”I scoffed, pushing my plate aside with a loud scrape. “Best for all of us? I haven’t even proposed to her! I haven’t given her a ring, a proper engagement—nothing! And now you’re telling me we’re to marry next week? How does that make sense to you?”Sophia flinched at my words. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, and for a split second, I saw it—the fear she wasn’t showing to anyone else. Her hands were clasped so tightly in her lap her knuckles had turned whi
By Chance, By Fate 78
78LiamWeeks had passed, and I could feel myself getting better. The wound had healed completely, though the emotional scars from everything that had happened were far from fading. But now, there was something else weighing on me—something even more pressing and annoying.My mother had been relentless in her insistence that I marry Sophia. We’d been pretending to be a couple for months now, all so I could keep my secret—my real identity hidden from the world. She had warned me about the consequences if I didn’t comply, but I had begged her, and as always, she couldn’t refuse me. So here I was, stuck in a game I didn’t want to play.Today, we were all gathered around the grand dining table in the palace. My mother, ever the queen, was seated at the head. Anders, my wicked brother, sat beside his equally wicked wife—Evelyn. She had a name that seemed to fit her too perfectly, like the kind of name you’d give to someone who knew how to make your life miserable with just a smile. And the
By Chance, By Fate 77
77 Alex Turning to Damon and Charlotte, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "I'm not going to marry her. I don't care what you say or what happens to my family's reputation. This isn't my problem, and I'm not going to fix it." Damon's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. "You don't have a choice, Alex. This is the only way to save your family." "Then let them burn," I spat, my voice dripping with venom. "I'm done with this. I'm done with all of it." I turned and headed for the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I could hear Charlotte's voice behind me, her tone shrill and demanding. "Alex! Where do you think you're going? You can't just leave!" I didn't turn around, my pace quickening as I made my way towards the exit. But just as I reached for the door, I heard her voice again, this time laced with a hint of desperation. "Alex, wait! You can't leave without a car. How do you plan to get home?" I paused, my hand on the doorknob, and turned to face her. Her e
By Chance, By Fate 76
76Alex The tension in the room was palpable. The fire crackled and popped, casting flickering shadows on the stone walls. But the warmth it offered couldn’t soothe the chill running through me. Damon Nightshade, as smug and composed as ever, sat in his chair, his dark eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.Beside him, Charlotte leaned back in her seat, a glass of red wine in hand, her smile far too pleased. I stood there, arms crossed, trying to keep my emotions in check. I had been dragged here under duress, but there was no way in hell I was going to make it easy for Damon or Charlotte.Damon leaned forward slightly, his gaze never leaving mine. “Alex, I know this isn’t easy for you. But sometimes, life forces you to make hard decisions.”“Hard decisions?” I scoffed, my voice filled with disbelief. “What the hell are you talking about? You think I’m just going to roll over and play your game?”He didn’t flinch, his lips curling into a smile. “I don’t think you have much of a choice,
By Chance, By Fate 75
75AlexThe fire crackled softly, its warmth doing nothing to ease the icy tension in the room. Damon Nightshade leaned back in one of the leather chairs, exuding a relaxed authority that made my skin crawl. He studied me like I was some pawn on a chessboard, waiting for me to make a move he could exploit. “Have a seat,” Damon said, gesturing to the chairs opposite him. His voice was smooth, calm, but it carried an undertone of command that left no room for argument.I stayed standing, crossing my arms. “We’re not here to make ourselves comfortable.”Damon tilted his head, a faint, amused smile on his lips. “Suit yourself. Though, I find negotiations go smoother when everyone’s relaxed. Charlotte, what will you have to drink?”Charlotte, who had made herself at home on the chair beside him, smiled like she belonged there. “A glass of red wine, Damon. Something bold.”“Of course,” Damon said, nodding toward one of the silent attendants who stood in the shadows near the door. The man d
