Chapter Twenty-sevenAric One of the worst feelings ever is being attached to or harboring feelings for someone with whom you are supposed to have only a familial relationship. The feeling is even worse when you can't get someone you're supposed to care for and support as a father off your mind.The responsibility of being her father and providing for her needs was bestowed upon me the day my brother passed, and I had vowed to fulfill that duty. But what about now? Now, I simply can't stop thinking about her and how beautiful she looks. I can’t stop thinking about how juicy and wet she is always for me.Each time I think and plan to rid myself of those thoughts I have towards her, they only intensify. She's like an addiction— the more I try to shake her off, the harder it becomes. When I attempt to let things run their course, it becomes too difficult to handle. I find myself searching for reasons not to simply let things be but to find a way to push her out of my mind and stop think
Chapter Twenty-eight Maelis “There he is, just five steps away,” Emma said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “And in three, two, one. Hey!” She beamed with excitement and ushered the new boy to his seat. “Good afternoon, ladies,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. I peered intensely at him, trying to see if there was at least one thing I could pick about him that would be better than Aric, but there was nothing. I couldn’t pick out anything; it was just as though Aric was perfect. The perfect man, just the right one I needed. The more I stared at him, the more I thought about Aric—his perfect face, his perfect body, his perfect everything. The silence grew awkward, and Emma had to cut it off by clearing her throat. “So, I am Emma, and I am Caelia’s best friend,” she smiled. “Oh! Emma,” the guy responded. “She has told me a lot about you.” He added, and I gasped softly. Emma didn’t just act like me while texting him; she didn’t leave herself out. I chuckled silent
Chapter Twenty-nineCaeliaEmma and I walked out of the school with our arms locked. When we got to the gate, she gave me a long, tight hug and held my hands.“Make sure you’re on your best behavior, Caelia. I would have come with you, but I don’t want to be a third wheel on your first date,” she beamed. “Don’t forget the things I told you; you must follow all of them,” she added.I nodded at her with a smile. Even if I was going to ditch the dinner, I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore after seeing the amount of energy she was putting into this. She really wanted this to work, and even though I wasn’t sure being with Eric could still get Aric and what we’ve shared off my mind, it was worth the trial.“I should smile, make sure I don’t get lost in thought, and engage in the conversations he brings up. I won’t forget any of it,” I assured.“Always remember that I’m just a phone call away. Make sure you call me if you need my help,” she said and pulled me into a tight hug again. “I rea
Chapter ThirtyAricJealous? I scoffed. How could I be jealous when I knew she would come running back to me in no time? No man would ever make her feel the same way I made her feel. I can remember very well the expression on her face whenever I was inside her. My ears have never rested from the echoes of her moans and cries of ecstasy. I know the sound of satisfaction and enjoyment when I hear them, and she sounded exactly that way. I knew she enjoyed every single moment we spent together. I was very sure of that, so it was certain that she would come running back to me.All these thoughts raced through my mind as I stormed out of the house. I wouldn’t deny the fact that I felt a sharp pain shoot through my chest the moment she said those words. I felt a hard tightening of my throat when she told me she was going on a date with someone else. I realized that I wanted her—I wanted to be with her.I sank into the car and signaled the driver to take me home while I rested my head on the
Chapter Thirty-oneMaelisI stood in front of the mirror for the umpteenth time since my search for the perfect dress began, and I still wasn’t satisfied with what I was wearing. I let out a low growl of frustration and sank into the bed, muffling my face into the pillow. No matter what I wore, something was always off.I was tired and confused from changing into dress after dress. I no longer knew which one to choose. After lying on the bed for a few more minutes, realizing that just lying there wouldn’t solve anything, I stood up and walked to my scattered wardrobe again. I resumed the search, hoping this would be the last time and that I would find the perfect dress.I didn’t have too many dresses because I rarely went out on dates. Ethan didn’t enjoy it. Well, so I thought, until I found out that he was gay, which meant he wouldn’t enjoy doing things with me, only with his gay partner. Each time I thought about him and what we had, I wondered how he managed to put up such a perfec
Chapter Thirty-twoAricAless and I had just finished discussing more about business over a glass of wine, and we had to stop at some point because he had to drive back home. I walked him to the door as we continued discussing other things. He wasn't just my manager but also my best friend, and he had proven himself worthy of my love and trust.We got to the door, and I input the passcode. “Don’t forget to tell our men what I told you,” I reminded him as I pushed the door open.He nodded. “I will. Just make sure you stay safe and keep your niece and her mom safe too,” he responded.The moment he mentioned my niece, it reminded me of the sharp pain I felt when Caelia told me she was going out with another guy. It reminded me of how I desperately wanted to stop her from going out with anyone else, but I also didn’t want to show that desperation. I had planned to make her beg to come back, not for me to beg her.Aless was about to open his car door when I grabbed his hand and turned him
Chapter Thirty-threeCaeliaI stood confused and surprised. I thought it was all in my head. I thought I was just imagining it. I never knew I was seeing right—he was here. Did he follow me? Was it a coincidence? Did he come here to ruin my date?A number of questions raced through my head, and it was hard to answer any of them.I remember him saying he wasn’t jealous and acting like he didn’t care about anything I did. He even wished me a good date and told me there was nothing to be jealous about. But now he was here? What exactly does this man want? I just couldn’t tell. He was so confusing, making it difficult for me to figure out what was going on in his mind. I had no way to know what he wanted.“What are you doing here?” I finally asked. He stood there, his hands in his pockets, not flinching. He acted like he was supposed to be there. “Did you follow me here?” I questioned.Aric just stood there, making no movement or sound, staring at me. His eyes moved from my head to my toe
Chapter Thirty-fourCaelia"Fuck me." Those words escaped my lips, and the glow in his eyes was so hot that I bit my lower lip in response.With his hand still squeezing my breasts, but in a more gentle manner, he asked, "What did you say?"I grabbed his collar and pressed myself against his chest. I couldn’t think about anything else other than finding the warmth to the heat underneath me. "Fuck me," I mumbled.He shook his head. "I didn’t hear you." His hand circled around my neck, and he lifted my head. "Repeat that."I knew what he was doing. It was embarrassing, but I was at a point where I didn’t care about how my actions would make me feel at that moment or after. All I wanted was to find ease for my aching part. All I wanted was to have him inside of me, to relive that night we spent together."I asked you to fuck me." I repeated and hopped down from the sink, reaching for his trousers. My hand trailed around his groin, and I could feel his hardness through his pants. My body
Chapter 130 Author’s POV Caelia stood in front of the mirror, her hands trembling slightly as they rested on her baby bump. She glanced at Emma, who was adjusting the final touches on her veil. "How do I look?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, betraying the swirl of emotions beneath her calm exterior. She was happy, yet she was scared. Emma stepped back, admiring her work with a warm smile. "You look perfect, Caelia. My designs are always perfect, I know, but you? You’re more perfect than the dress.” She chuckled. Her words were soft, reassuring, but they couldn’t quite chase away the flutter of nerves building in Caelia’s chest. Caelia smiled back at her, though a bit of longing flickered in her heart. She twirled gently in the gown, the delicate lace brushing against her legs. The dress flowed around her like a dream, its soft fabric wrapping around her growing belly as if embracing the new lives inside her. She was radiant, but in this moment of beauty, her mind wan
Chapter 129CaeliaThe lights suddenly went out and I collapsed to the floor, sobbing into the darkness. It felt like my life had been swallowed by the same black void surrounding me. The world had crumbled, and the man I loved was gone, even though he was still breathing. I had waited for close to two months to see those eyes if his again, but he couldn’t even recognize me. What kind of life is this? But then, without warning, the lights flickered back on. Through my tears, I looked up and saw Emma standing in front of me, a soft smile on her face, holding a single rose. She walked toward me, her steps slow and deliberate, before kneeling down beside me. Without saying a word, she gently placed the rose in my hand, giving it a light squeeze. I was stunned. Confused. Emma had been the one I’d frantically called earlier, but she hadn’t picked up. “Emma, I…” Before I could complete my words, a nurse appeared, approaching me with another rose, handing it over in the same quiet way. My
Chapter 128Caelia“It’s important to take care of yourself, Caelia,” the doctor said gently, his eyes filled with concern. “Your babies need you to be strong. Stress isn’t good for them.”I nodded, offering him a weak smile. “I know. Thank you, Doctor.” I picked up my bag, the weight of his words settling over me as I moved out of the office. Outside the hospital, Jay was waiting in the car, as he always did. Without a word, I slid into the passenger seat."To the hospital?" he asked quietly.I gave a small nod, and he started the car. We drove in silence, my thoughts wandering as we made our way to see Aric. I could have chosen to have an attending doctor for my pregnancy at the same hospital where Aric was being treated—it would have been more convenient. But I couldn’t bring myself to change hospitals. I was still going to the one where my mother had taken me then to terminate the pregnancy, the one she called her friend, was now my attending doctor.Two weeks had passed since Ari
Chapter 127CaeliaEvery time I looked up and saw the red light above the operating room still on, and the notice that read, "In Surgery: Aric Phoenixbourne, Heart Transplant," it sent shivers down my spine. My heart raced, and I slumped back into a cloud of doubt. Before the surgery, the doctor had warned me about potential complications, some of which could be life-threatening. That warning echoed in my mind constantly. I had waited an entire month for this moment, but now, I was more terrified than ever.“He’ll be fine. I’m sure of it,” Aless said softly, patting my shoulder. He had already come to join us there after I informed him about the transplant “Aric isn’t the type to give up. He’ll pull through.”“Yes, he’s right, Cae. He’ll be okay,” Emma added, her voice filled with hope.All I could do was nod, my anxiety making it hard to speak. I continued pacing in front of the operating room, my eyes darting to the red light and back to the notice over and over again.“Caelia, you
Chapter 126Caelia(One Month Later)It took just minutes for me to realize that I was all alone, and the lives of four people depended on me and the decisions I made, especially my strength. I had to be strong for Aric and our babies. I had to hold on to the hope that, with time, everything would be fine.It has been a month since Mom’s death, a month since Aric had been hospitalized, and we’ve been waiting and hoping for a heart donor. As much as each passing day without a donor terrified me, I still held on to that hope that things would be fine, even though it was fading.Different complications had arisen over the months. There were moments when I thought I was going to lose him forever, moments when he had seizures that almost made my heart stop. Still, I held on to that hope, as faint as it was, that in the end, everything would be fine.I believed Aric would open his eyes. I believed he would be fine again, that he would come back to me, and we would live the rest of our lives
Chapter 125 Caelia My legs felt so heavy and numb, dragging with every step toward the morgue. My body shook, silent sobs wracking me, but I no longer had the strength to cry out loud. The sight of the morgue loomed ahead, and fresh tears blurred my vision as my legs wobbled, barely able to carry me forward. Aric's hand rested on my back, his touch firm yet gentle as he tried to steady me. His attempts to soothe the storm raging inside me were in vain. Nothing could calm the whirlwind of pain, loss, and devastation coursing through me. Why? Why did this have to happen? Just when I thought things were turning around, when I believed we'd finally have our happy ending—why did Mom have to leave me? I wished I could turn back time, be a better daughter, do something—anything—to change the outcome. Maybe, just maybe, if I hadn’t gotten pregnant, if I hadn’t… My legs buckled beneath me, and I crumbled to the cold floor, burying my face in my trembling hands. Sobs shook my shoulder
Chapter 124 Caelia I stared at her, unable to process what was happening, my vision blurring with tears. First Aric, now my mother. My heart clenched with pain as I watched her, blood seeping through her fingers as she clutched her chest, her breaths coming in ragged gasps that shattered me down to my soul. I didn’t know how long I stood there, watching helplessly, tears burning down my cheeks, blurring the horrific scene before me. My mom was dying, yet I couldn’t do anything about it. I was watching life slip away from her, but I could do nothing about it. My dad, Aric, and now mom? Why? What was this happening to me? What have I done wrong to deserve this much pain? My body shook as I knelt beside her, my knees crashing to the floor, finally finding the strength to move. Crawling on the cold blood stained floor, I reached for her hand, gripping it tightly. Her skin felt cold, and I could feel her pulse weakening. My body shook with fear. No! I can’t lose her too. “Mom, please,
Chapter 123CaeliaAric still didn’t move, no matter how hard and loud I called his name, he still laid there, motionless.“Bring her to me,” Axel’s voice cut through the chaos, cold and unfeeling.I barely registered his words before his men moved toward me. They grabbed my arms roughly, yanking me from the spot where I had been helplessly staring at Aric. My body shook violently as I tried to fight back, but it was useless. I was too weak, too broken, too hurt."Let me go!" I screamed, my voice hoarse with pain and rage. But they didn’t listen. I was dragged across the room, my eyes never leaving Aric's body, every step pulling me further away from him.I didn’t care about anything else at that moment. I just wanted to be with Aric, to hold him, to wake him up. But Axel’s cold command echoed in my mind as the guards pulled me closer to him, and my fear grew even more suffocating.“She is the reason we are here today. My darling daughter.” Axel smiled as I was brought to him, his gri
Chapter 122 Caelia No! That can’t be, that can’t be true. My biological father? That must be a lie. It must be the pressure or the fear; she must have said that just to get this over with. There’s no way a man like this could be my father. “No!” I screamed at my mom, hoping to snap her back to her senses. There was no reason to lie, no reason to fear this man. He wasn’t going to do anything to us. “That can’t be true, Mom.” I shook my head, a laugh escaping my lips out of fear. “You don’t have to lie to please him. I know it’s a lie, I know…” “It’s the truth, Caelia. This is the truth,” her voice cut me off, and a tear rolled down my cheek. I shook my head again. It wasn’t possible. I had known Aidan as my father for all of my twenty-one years. I had known just him as my father. How could this stranger be my biological father? It had to be a joke. There was no way this was true. Was Mom playing games with me? Or with him? There was no way he was my biological father. It was