[Matilda]Leo and I walked out of the hallway, my heart thumping hard in my chest, as Leo's hand tightened on mine, he led me out of the ballroom. As we made our way out, my eyes snapped up to him, and I didn't miss how his eyes darkened, his jaw set in a way that sent chills down my spine.Leo walked up to the car and pulled the passenger door open for me, I stepped in and he banged it shut - too hard that I almost flinched. I watched as he circled the driver's side and stepped inside.I fastened my seatbelt, my gaze still fixed on Leo as he fastened his, he started the engine, and sped offMy eyes shifted to him, his eyes were intently fixed on the road, he hadn't said a word for over five minutes now. His hands kept tightening on the steering wheel, making my heart beat faster with each second that passedDid he hear what Kaden and I said? Did he overhear our conversation? Did he hear when I mentioned ex-wife? My mind was a complete mess as I stared at Leo, his jaw clenched hard a
[Kaden]"Tesoro?" My jaw clenched hard as the name that bastard called her rang in my ear. I walked to the other end of the hallway making my way into the restroom. My jaw clenched hard as I tried to recall where I had seen that dude. I fucking know I've met him somewhere but I just can't place my finger on itMy eyes darted to my watch and I checked the time, it was 9.30 pm. I pulled out my phone and placed a call to someone"Boss!" Spider's voice boomed out from the other end"Where are you?" I hissed as I stepped into the restroom banging the door shut"I'm around, Boss!""Good, I need you to pull the surveillance footage from the first hallway leading to the restroom, from 9 pm to 9:30, send it to me immidiately,""On it Boss!" Spider stated firmly. I hung up and shoved my phone back into my pocketI could swear that I'd seen his face somewhere, he looked oddly familiar! I stared at my reflection one more time before making my way out and heading back to the ballroomMy head sna
[Matilda]"Just fucking tell me you're kidding!" Julia snapped as I told her everything that happened a few days back at the eventIt's been five days since the event but it still feels surreal seeing that asshole who I still can't keep out of my headI shook my head as we walked over to one of the seats in my bakery space. We have been trying to put everything together for hours now, and looking at how far we've gone, we needed a rest and a cup of coffee."I wasn't joking!" I walked over to the coffee machine and quickly made two cups of coffee before walking over to Julia's seat and handing her a cup of coffee. She took a quick sip of her coffee before dropping it."He must be insane to lay his filthy hands on you and say those stupid words, what was he thinking, that you're the same Tilda he used to humiliate back then?""I just hope we don't cross paths again, he's just an asshole as he has always been," my teeth gritted as every name Kaden called me last night rang in my earJu
[Matilda]Aiden wasn't kidding when he said he wouldn't talk to any one. He has refused to even talk to me since he asked of his Daddy yesterday, always giving us one-word answer at a time. I had to plead with him to eat at least and once he's done he will tell me that he wants to go to his room. He's only five, so why does he act like an adult half the time?I took a deep breath, picking up the pancakes I made for them and two bottles of orange juice. It's one of their favorites, and I sincerely hope he will open up to me today I walked over to their room and slowly pushed the door open, only to find his face buried in his iPad as usual. Austin was on the bed with his eyes fixed on the painting board"Hey boys, can you guess what Mummy made?" My gaze shifted to Aiden, but he didn't even budge. Austin was already down from the bed, his lips curling into a smile as he looked up at me. "Mummy made pancakes!" I said and Aiden looked up from his iPad, his gaze shifting to the plate in m
[Kaden]"You're saying you've seen his face somewhere but you can't recall?" Ryan asked me from the driver's seat, I nodded shifting my gaze toward him"Spider sent his information and I couldn't place where exactly I've seen him, but I have this feeling that I've met him somewhere, and not just met, I feel like we've crossed more than just paths,"Spider had given me full information on the guy a few days back and I found out that his name is Leo Smith and the CEO of Atlas Solution here in NYC and Miami, that was it, but no matter how I tried to push it aside, his face kept trying to ring a bell in my ear.Or maybe he looked like someone I used to know?"So, how did you feel about seeing her after six years, your ex-wife?" Mason chuckled from behind, jolting me from my thoughts."What is that supposed to mean? How exactly am I supposed to feel?" I asked, my eyes fixed on the window as I paid deaf ears to two of my best friends who wouldn't stop laughing"I've always liked her though.
[Matilda]My heart hammered against my ribs as I weaved through the crowd, my eyes scanning every face, every corner. My hands trembled as I wiped my wet palms on my jeans. I had already reported to security, but I couldn’t stay put."Oh God, where are my kids?"Tears burned down my cheeks, my breathing uneven as I searched from one aisle to the other, panic clawing at my chest. Maybe I should go back to the security post. Maybe someone had found them and was bringing them thereI groaned and turned to walk back when my entire body suddenly froze."Mummy!" My eyes widened.Austin!I spun so fast that my vision blurred, and then I saw them, my babies. Standing there, safe and sound.Before my brain could process anything else, I was already running. My knees struck the ground as I yanked them into my arms, hugging them so tightly that it hurt. "What did I say about you two running off?" My voice shook, with frustration and relief. "You can't do that to mummy, you can't!"The tears I w
[Kaden]"What the fuck is the problem?" Mason asked me for the umpteenth time since we left the mall. My jaw clenched tightly as I stared out the window.What was I supposed to tell them? And why the fuck am I even angry? I saw Tilda with kids, and she not only has a partner but also twin boys! It really shouldn't matter, it fucking shouldn't, but it did, and that pissed me off even more.What gives her the right to be happy? That fucking gold digger is married to that dude and has kids! I wanted to see her break apart! I fucking wanted to see her suffer for the stunt she pulled years ago! But what now? She had what my wife and I couldn't.Are they married? I don't recall checking the dudes' marital status, but of course they should, they have kids, so they probably should!! "Kaden!" Mason tapped me from the back, drawing my attention back to him."Did something happen? Are you okay? You went after the kids and came back looking like you wanted to murder someone,""I'm okay!" I growl
[Kaden]"Ka...," She made to speak, but I swallowed her words, my hand tightening on her neck as I sucked on her lips—she whimpered, parting her lips for meA guttural growl tore from my throat as I plunged my tongue deeper into hers, claiming every inch. My fingers found the edge of her towel as I pulled it off her allowing it to fall silently at her feetMy hand moved over her tits, grabbing and fondling it hard.'It's not as firm as the one I touched six years ago,' my stupid mind chimed in, making me squeeze harder on my wife's boobs, eliciting a whimper from her.Yes, Tilda fucking disgusts me, which is why I have never fucked her when I am sober, but why does every part of her body seem to be imprinted on my head- why do I have to remember how firm her boobs were when touching my wife's own?She is a whore, a gold digger, a fucking whore who opens up her legs to anyone"Oh!" Cherry whimpered hard, pulling me out of my thoughts. She held my chest and slowly pushed me back, her ch
[Matilda]The waiting felt endless. A quiet hum of anticipation filled the backstage area as I stood there, clutching my apron. I watched as some participants shifted on their feet, and others quietly psyched themselves up. My fingers grazed over the embroidered letters of my name on the apron trying to calm the nerves crawling up my spineOne by one, the others were led out. Disappearing through the door. The air felt thick, the pressure pressing hard against my chest. Almost every one of them wore a professional look, their faces carefully composed"It's time," Daisy murmured behind me pulling me out of my thoughts. I nodded, swallowing hard as I followed behind herShe led the way as we walked right into where I presumed should be the stageThe moment I stepped inside, my breath hitchedThe stage was massive, my eyes scanned the seven grand polished stations that stood under the gleaming lights, each equipped with every tool every pastry chef could dream of. The grandeur of the eve
[Matilda]As Leo pulled the car to a smooth stop, I found myself staring out the window momentarily speechlessThe building before us was breathtaking, a sleek modern structure with tall glass windows that gleamed under the light. The kind of place that makes you straighten your posture just by looking at it"Leo, are you sure we're in the right place?" I couldn't help but ask as my eyes scanned the whole building. "This looks like a damn five-star event," Leo chuckled before unbuckling his seatbelt. "That's because it is, only the best of the best are allowed to participate here, and guess what? That includes you,"I swallowed, nerves crawling up my spineLeo stepped out of the car and walked over to the passenger seat pulling the door open. "Come on Tesoro, time to show them what you've got," Leo smiled extending his hands toward meI took a deep breath and took his hand, slowly stepping out of the car. My heels clicked softly against the pavement. The crisp evening air did little
[Matilda]Leo's brows knitted together as he stared right into my eyes. "Are you okay?" He asked, leaning in close with his hand firmly on my shoulderI glanced at him, my eyes shifting to my kids who had their eyes fixed on us. I clutched the phone in my hand, biting down on my lower lip as I stared back at Leo"Just nervous," I said the first thing that came to my mind, and I watched as Leo bit down on his lips like he didn't believe me but he ended up nodding. "You don't have to be. I thought something was wrong, you can do this Tilda or don't you believe in yourself?" Leo's voice rang out making my lips stretch into a smile that didn't reach my eyes"Thank you," I mumbled, shifting my eyes away from him. My heart was thumping louder in my chest as I tried to push out the harsh pain surrounding that messageWhat exactly am I supposed to do now? What wrong did I do In knowing who Kaden was and getting married to him? I wouldn't want to say I regret ever knowing him because that lov
[Matilda]I took a deep breath standing in front of the mirror as I examined my reflection. The crisp white shirt hugged me perfectly, with the tailored black skirt that stopped just above my knees. My dark hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, but no matter how put together I looked, the nerves clawing at my chest refused to settleToday was finally the competition and despite the effort to stay composed, my heart pounded relentlessly. This was my first time stepping into something this big—something out of my comfort zone and Leo had been the one to make it possible"Breathe in Tilda, breathe out," I muttered, glancing at my watch. The event was to begin at 5 pm and it was already 3 pm. That means we had a little over an hour to get there Leo was supposed to be here by now. He had called me an hour ago that he was on his wayWith another deep breath, I grabbed my handbag and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The competition had strict rules, no bringing of personal ingredient
[Matilda]The audacity of that bastard, how the hell did he even get my number? I wasn't surprised when he asked what I was doing in the hospitalI exhaled sharply staring at the number, I had immediately blacklisted him. What is giving him the guts that we need his attention or care? He should stay the fuck away from me and let me have some peaceI took a deep breath, dropping my phone as I made to push myself off the bed only to pause as the door swung open, and my two babies came running towards me"I came in first, I told you!" Austin sprinted to the bed, plopping down with a victorious grin. Aiden ran in behind me, settling beside his brother"Good morning Mom! Good morning Mom!" Their voice chimed together, bringing a smile to my lips"Good morning my babies," I sat up ruffling their messy hair. "How was your night, my loves?""Good," Aiden answered. My eyes lingered on him. He already looked much better. I had to stay in their room for hours even after they fell asleep, to make
[Kaden]"Cherry I'm asking you a question," My jaw clenched as I tried to make sense of what she was doing in my office. Hadn't she said she was feeling under the weather and needed sleep? My eyes swept over her face, she didn't look sick in the slightest"I...I...," She opened her mouth to speak but shut it back, her gaze darting everywhere but meDisgust twisted my face as I strode towards my desk, my jaw tightening further at the mess of scattered documents — the same ones I spent fucking hours sorting. My gaze snapped back to her. She stood frozen like she'd lost the ability to speak "I'm going to ask you one more time," I ground out. "What exactly were you doing in my office, searching through my files without my consent," She spun towards me, her voice rising. "If you want to hear it then fine, I noticed that this past few days, you've been acting strange, distant and I knew something was wrong. I asked you days back and you said nothing," She exhaled sharply, taking another
[Kaden] "What are you talking about?" "I went for my checkup at Brookside Health Center and I decided to take a stroll at the hospital, just to see how things were running," I gave her a firm nod to continue. Brookside was one of the hospitals I owned here in NYC"Then I saw a little boy," she continued, her brows furrowing. "And it felt like I was looking at a younger version of you. He looked exactly like you Kaden," Her lips curled in distaste before she added. "And then that good-for-nothing ex-wife of yours appeared and the boy called her mommy," Her face twisted in disgust, but I wasn't listening to her anymore, I pulled out my phone dialing Spider's number immediately"Boss," Spider's voice came through almost instantly"Find out what Tilda and my kids are doing at Brookside Health Center and get back to me immediately," I ended the call, shoving my phone back into my pocketI stared back at my mother, her eyes wide in shock"What...you...," I cut her off before she could
[Kaden]I tilted my neck for the umpteenth time today, my eyes fixed on my laptop as my eyes danced across the keyboard. Running Donovan's empire along with my businesses was demanding, but nothing I couldn't handleMy eyes shifted from my laptop to my phone as the ringtone pierced the air. My jaw clenched, did I forget to put this phone on silence? The last thing I needed right now was a distractionI exhaled, grabbing my phone from the desk, my brow creased together as I stared at the name on the caller ID. My eyes flicked to the clock. It was almost 8 pm. What the hell does my mother want this late? Because if this was another dinner invite, she could forget it. I hadn't even said a word to her after the stunt she pulled in my houseI declined the call and pushed my phone aside. Focusing my eyes back on my laptop but who was I kidding, it's Vivian Donovan we were talking about, if this phone didn't go off, she wouldn't stop calling. So I had only one optionI turned it off. My eyes
[Matilda]I bit my lower lip, quickening my pace, my jaw clenching harder with each stepSix years. That's how long it has been since I saw her but even from a distance, I could recognize her instantly — the woman who was part of making my marriage a living hellMy ex-mother-in-law"Where do you say your mummy is, baby boy," That annoying voice rang out making my jaw clench even harder as I came to a stop in front of my son"Right here," My voice was sharp, cutting through the air like blade Vivian's head snapped towards me and for a split second, I saw shock flash across her face — quickly replaced by the same look I've known so well. Hatred, the same resentment she has always thrown my way My eyes flicked from her sneering face to her hand, her filthy hands, still gripping my son's wrist. I inhaled sharply, stepping forward and yanking Austin away from her grasp "And what do you think you're doing?" Yes, That's the voice! The same voice that used to belittle me"And what does it