Edmund was shocked to the core. Not even once it crossed his mind that his father could be behind Regina’s departure. He never mentioned that he disliked her. She was not from the upper class, but she came from a good family, she went to Harvard and graduated top of her class.James Stark always had a soft spot for strong women and Regina seemed to have won a place in his heart, he used to call her Edmund’s ‘asset’, something simply did not add up.‘Would my father have liked Isabella? She might have cried an unreasonable amount of time, but as sure as hell she confronted me the way only a champion would.’In fact, she was the first and probably last person that had the audacity to do it, so his father would have approved of her, he was certain.But to return to the current situation, his eyes searched for answers only Regina could provide, his father was dead and a dead man could not spill secrets.“Please believe that I loved you. I still love you. Please believe that it broke my he
The images from earlier flashed before Isabella’s eyes, and breathing normally became out of the question as she remembered that woman with her arms wrapped around Edmund. That memory acted like a dagger stabbing her heart multiple times.Moreover, after being stabbed, the foolish organ was trampled on and left to bleed. That was how dampen her spirit was, that was how much pain the scene that unfolded before her eyes inflicted on her.“I don’t know why she’s here again, but she destroyed him. She ruined him. It took him years to recover, and he turned into a cold, bitter, emotionless person, a stone. My uncle would have been proud.” Moira started to speak again with undeniable resentment in her voice.‘I might have opened a wound, she will not finish until she gets everything out of her system.’As for Isabella, that was undeniably a troubling indication of how deep his love for that woman was, an affection that was probably still present in his heart, a feeling so intense would have
Edmund received what he had craved for in the past years, Regina back into his life. Not only did she return, she also declared that she never stopped loving him, yet he found it grueling to draw the picture of what his heart truly desired.‘Might be the shock, but I am fucking surprised at myself, at my reaction. Or, to be honest, at my lack of reaction.’If what she stated about his father was real, then she did not fail him, he was the one that failed her. If what she attested was genuine, her sufferings from the past years might have matched or even exceeded his torments. But hearing all those words coming from her mouth did not sway him as much as they would have swayed him in the past. In fact, he sent her home with his cousin hours ago.Moira was reluctant to leave with Regina as they never got along well, but she conceded and he guessed that she did it as a favor to Isabella. Or perhaps she concluded that he would need some time for himself, his cousin had always been a kind-
Isabella was staring at the intelligent, stunning and sporadically tender man, her husband, reflecting if that was what destiny had in store for her. A few days ago, she was just Isabella... Isabella Duarte.A waitress who lived in a rental one-room apartment in Madrid. Perhaps a bit of a loner, as she had absolutely no dear friend or family, yet she was independent and perfectly satisfied with how life was going at that particular time.Even if most girls her age went from party to party and took everything for granted, even if she had to work for every single thing in her life, she was content that way.And now... Now she found challenging to even breathe normally while a whole new identity was handed to her, someone who was not her, someone who would be in the position to shower in money if that was her ambition, who would attend galas and host business receptions, who would have a car at her disposal with a personal driver.‘For God’s sake, someone who will have a helicopter and
Edmund took a few moments to venerate the splendid woman in front of him, she was gorgeous with her legs spread out for him, her exquisite pussy in the view.‘This is an image I want to see every day.’ The thought crossed his mind.The unfortunate set of circumstances, such as the location and the fact that she was only half naked made him grunt, he wanted to take in every inch of her alluring body, but he had to settle with her bare legs and her pussy.Hot lust was shining in her bewitching eyes that casted a spell on him from the first moment they touched him, he slowly hovered his hands on her tights. ‘I fucking love how her entire being screams desire!’Her figure shivered the instant he thrusted a finger inside her pussy, she was soaking wet, prepared and keen for him. ‘I should stop teasing her and as sure as hell I should cease the torture upon my own body!’“Edmundddd!” She dug her nails in his neck reaching for a bundle of hair.Her sweet moans were undoing him in every fuc
Trigger Warning: Part of the story in this chapter contains some abuse information that might upset some readers.Isabella’s heart was beating erratically as they edged near Noah’s room and Edmund opened the door, inviting her in.As they stepped inside, her hand flew to her mouth in shock. The image in front of her shattered her to the core, she felt a cold chill traveling down her spine.She didn’t know what her heart was expecting, but not precisely what she found, a man lying in bed, with bandages covering most of his body, both his legs in casts. He was surrounded by beeping monitors.‘He looks even worse than my sister, the poor man! Poor Edmund!’“Is this Luisa’s sister?” He inquired in a low voice, his glance directed towards his brother for confirmation, until returning to her, his eyes turning glossy. “Are you Isabella?”“Yes.”“Come closer. Let me take a look at you.” Noah tried to raise a trembling hand, but not succeeding, he helplessly surrendered. Isabella drew closer a
Regina was angry, the first encounter with Edmund after all those years did not go as she envisioned. Sure, she imagined shock and maybe crying, even accusations and criticism, yet she had never expected him to be so... distant, unimpressed, detached.He sent her away with his obnoxious cousin like she was of no importance to him, needless to say that Moira hated her from the start, she never understood why she had left her father for Edmund, or how her feelings changed from one day to another. Moira insisted on making her opinion very clear from the beginning of her relationship with her cousin.She did not say a word to Regina on their way to the mansion and when they arrived, she ordered one of the maids to prepare a room for her. After that, she simply vanished and has been away all day long.‘Like I would need a room, I will be sleeping in Edmund’s chamber!’ She was certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that after he would get home, they would sort things out. He was never abl
Regina stared at the maid in disbelief, her words still echoing in her head, not making any sense, thinking that surely it could not be the truth.Rage was racing in her veins and she felt her pulse accelerating. She posed the question again, somehow expecting a different answer. “What do you mean Edmund is sharing this room with his wife?”‘What wife?’Her blood started boiling and her vision blurred until she saw red before her eyes. She could only imagine the smoke coming out of her nose and ears, but undeniably that was how she felt.She was gripping the maid’s elbow, and she dropped it like it burned when that poor woman sent her some troubled glances.‘What has gotten into you, Regina? Behave!’“I am sorry.” Regina’s lips curled into a fake smile, the best she could display in the given circumstances.The maid cleared her throat before continuing. “As I already stated, Mister Stark and his wife, Mrs. Isabella, are sharing this room, so if you please excuse me, I need to prepare
Isabella turned paper white pale when she locked eyes with the one she missed dearly, her heartbeats accelerated, her pulse started running wild. She blinked a few times, believing that she might be hallucinating. ‘Is he really here, in front of me?’ She waited for him the first days, she hoped, she really hoped that he would follow her to the UK, but with each day that passed, her faith subsided, he never even contacted her since she left. The more she thought about it, the more she concluded it was absolutely outrageous that he behaved as if they were mere strangers. Perhaps they were, but they still shared, even for a few days, the same last name, and not to mention the intimate moments. She was hurt, disappointed and ashamed for being so silly, so weak. Edmund forgot how to breathe when his eyes found the one that stole his heart in a matter of days, the one he never stopped thinking about, the same one that was the subject of both his worries and his fantasies. “You look
Edmund left soon after they had breakfast. Isabella was not only feeling disappointed, she was suffering a heartbreak. She knew they could not have been more different from the very beginning, and she was aware that sooner or later they were bound to follow their own separate paths, yet she was still unprepared for the painful sensation his words triggered in her body.‘Was this what fate had in store for me? To encounter the man of my dreams, have him and then lose him in a matter of days?’Not even for a split second did she regret meeting him, or for what it mattered, signing that contract, but it was clear for her that he did not think the same.There were too many things left unsaid between the two of them, and now it was too late to talk, he decided to send her away. It troubled her to the bones that after having such an exquisite night, he was so keen to get rid of her without a proper conversation. She had burned for him, and he claimed her as his own, tending to her needs o
Isabella slowly removed her robe and her nightgown, then peeled off her underwear. When her clothes hit the floor, she stepped out, pushing them aside. Standing naked in front of him and without breaking eye contact, she spoke in a heated voice. “I changed my mind! I’m going to take advantage of you after all!”‘This woman will be the death of me.’She was the most beautiful woman that walked on this earth for him, her curves were to die for and the innocence in her eyes undid him in every possible way from the start.Edmund’s lips shaped into a devious smile. “What about the poor sexual performance?”She stepped into the shower and as soon as the cold water hit her warm skin, she shivered both in cold and in delight. Her nipples hardened under his lustful regard, and she could feel herself growing wet between her legs.“Well, you seem like you have sobered up a little!”He adjusted the temperature of the water to a more convenient one and pushed her against the wall, turning her aro
At a first class lounge, waiting for Jason to arrive, Edmund was sipping from his ridiculously expensive, neat scotch, silently reprimanding himself for being such a major idiot. He always thought highly of himself, but the last events shook him off. Firstly, he failed to read into Moira’s façade. All that time, he was clueless. He was being fooled by a half-baked girl. Or was he the weak-minded one? She surely knew her game better than him.He loved her the way he would have loved a younger sister, but she stabbed him in the back and he never saw it coming.‘I wonder if this is what some parents feel about their children.’ He sighed. ‘My name brings instant fear to those who hear it and there I was, outplayed by a kid.’Secondly, there was Luisa. He accused her of taking advantage of his brother’s love to gain a slice of his vast wealth. Then he blamed her for causing an accident that nearly killed her as well. And to top it all off, he pressured her sister to sign an atrocious marr
Out of nowhere, and just before all the energy dropped from Isabella’s body, just when she was about to give up, she heard a loud bang followed by the door removal from the hinges. Her eyes flapped in the direction of the sound. ‘Edmund.’Edmund, accompanied by an entire team of policemen, stepped inside, and one of them shot Alec in the hand, forcing him to release the hold on her neck. She gasped for air.“Isabella!” The entire place echoed with her husband’s powerful voice.Her heart threatened to escape her chest as he rushed to her, untied her hands and lifted her body in his arms, staring at her with his sky-color soul sucking eyes. “Are you hurt?” He asked, checking her with his eyes. She shook her head and buried her face in his chest, inhaling his enticing masculine scent.‘I truly believed I would never be able to do this again!’ She rejoiced, holding tight to him.Fear was rushing in Edmund’s veins, inflaming his anger. “I thought I was losing my fucking mind without yo
“Moira!?” Isabella blinked nervously. “W-what are you doing here? W-why are you doing this?” She struggled to free herself, but the more she tried, the more she hurt her hands in the process.Moira glanced at her nail polish, looking bored. “I have many reasons, darling!”“B-but you are Edmund’s cousin. He really cares about you!” Fright and confusion heated her face. “You took care of my sister and Noah the night I arrived.”She smirked. “No, I was actually trying to find a moment to finish what Alec and I started and failed. Too bad the hospital surveillance was damn tight.”Isabella was choking on her tears, thinking Moira was too good of an actress. While she always had a weird gut sensation regarding Alec, she trusted Moira completely. She never had a clue about her schemes, she was such a good liar that it scared her. “What about the love story you shared with me?” She inquired, studying both villains. “Ohh, that? Of course, I made that up! Why are you so naive, Isabella?” “B
“Let me go!” Isabella shouted from the top of her lungs. She was struggling to release her hands from the ropes encaging them behind her back. It was useless, there was no result other than making her feel all weak and pathetic. “W-what is this place? And what are you talking about? M-my sister is fine!” Her voice was breaking as her heart thundered erratically against her chest.‘Luisa must be safe! Please, God, let my sister be safe!’Alec checked his watch and shook his head in disapproval. “By this time, my most trusted and highly skilled man should have already embarked your sister and Edmund’s brother on their trip to Hell, or Heaven, it really depends.” His lips shaped into a devious grin while speaking nonsense.“W-what? No, that’s not true!” She screamed, panic invading her already shivering figure.“Oh, trust me on that!” He assured her, full of confidence. “They were trouble, how dare they survive the car accident that I perfectly plotted, raising no suspicion at all!” H
Edmund was pacing anxiously around the room, making holes in the floor. He dialed Isabella's number again, but there was no connection. He got word that she left the hospital hours ago, so he honestly expected her to be home by then, yet she wasn’t, and for some odd reason he could not explain, he felt very uneasy.‘Did she not read my note? Did she not watch that fucking video?’He was so delighted when one of the nurses called to let him know that she ate everything on the plate before leaving. He was so glad that he rushed the meeting he had and speeded home, only to be faced with disappointment.At least to his satisfaction, Regina was already gone when he got here, she spared him of her dire and tremendously undesired presence. He loved her so much only to have his heart broken twice, first when she abandoned him, second when his brother confessed everything about the ten million dollars the cunning bitch preferred instead of him.‘The fucking bitch!’ He muttered a string of cur
Isabella’s senses were on high alert, yet she tried not to panic, nothing good was bound to come from that. “I am back. Alec, where are you? Alec?” She heard Moira’s voice outside along with footsteps, and she released the breath she did not realize that she was holding.Ales loosened the grip on her shoulder and opened the door. “I am in here, with Isabella, she needs her bag and tablet.”“But I left them in the living room.” Moira replied confused.His body stiffened suddenly. “I must have moved them with my luggage, my bad.”Isabella got a weird gut reaction being all alone with him in the suite and the fact that Edmund’s cousin returned lifted the suffocating burden from her chest.Watching the happy couple together made her feel that she panicked for nothing. Moira looked at him as if he was the only man on earth and he gazed at her the way one would gaze at their soulmate, that person that one could not live without.‘Why is my body responding like that when he is around?’Isa