The next morning, Anthea reached Rayan’s office early in the morning. The office was almost empty, with not many employees present. When she reached his cabin, not even his secretary was present, but since she was already aware of the time Rayan usually came to the office, she decided to come earlier. She couldn't make her heart wait any longer. After pondering over the whole night, she finally came up with a plan on how she could get close to her daughter without Rayan finding out the truth. With that thought in mind, she knocked on Rayan’s door while praying he was inside. At that moment, she realised she had never called him like a civilised person or contacted him before coming here. She always came without informing him. After a few seconds, she heard his voice from behind the door, asking him to come in. Anthea pushed the door open before entering the room. She noticed Rayan sitting behind his mahogany desk, reading some documents attentively. His eyes snapped in her direction be
IN THE PARTY Rayan held Anthea’s hand as they both walked inside the lavish five-star hotel like a dazzling couple. She was dressed in a navy blue gown, while he wore a black tux with a white shirt underneath. As they both walked inside the grand hall, all the people turned their heads to look at them in shock because it was the first time they made an appearance together after their marriage news was leaked. “Is that Anthea Morin? He was really lucky. They look so perfect together.`` Anthea heard someone whisper loudly from the crowd, making her smile widen. “Wow! They really come here together like a couple. That means it's not a rumour.” Another person exclaimed in surprise. “I love their audacity. They both came together at Mr. Jones' party to rub salt on Aurelia Jones' wound. They are really ruthless.” A male voice snickered as his eyes fixed on Anthea. She was sure Rayan also heard everything, but he pretended not to hear anything with a blank face. “Your fiance is loo
Rayan and Anthea walked out of the party hand in hand before making their way towards the parking area. “You fucking bitch.” Aurelia shouted like an angry bull, making them stop in their tracks before turning around. Aurelia’s face was twisted in anger as she angrily stormed towards them. Her eyes blazed, which made Anthea smile at her in provocation. “Mind your tongue with my wife, Aurelia; this is the last warning.” Rayan, on the other hand, warned Aurelia dangerously while clenching his fists. He didn't like how she addressed Anthea at all. “Oh, hi, Ms. Jones. Did you enjoy my present?” Anthea inquired, grinning at Aurelia, which almost made her see red. That b*tch was clearly provoking her deliberately. Aurelia shook in anger as she forced her eyes to move towards the man standing beside her. Her heart ached in pain at the sight of him. She absolutely hated how he was standing beside her when he should have been with her. “How could you do this to me, Rayan? How could you? You
“Where are you taking me?” Anthea inquired when she noticed Rayan driving in another direction.“Home.” Rayan smiled from the driver's seat, his eyes glancing at her with mischief. “It's not the way to my home.” Anthea narrowed her eyes at him. He tricked her by offering to drive her back to her apartment. “I’m taking you to our home, Anthea. Did you really forget you said you would move in with me today?” He asked, a devinish smirk playing on the corner of her lips. “I haven't brought my things yet.” Anthea groaned, resting her head on the car seat. “I have already sent people to get your stuff.” Rayan informed me, chuckling. Anthea’s eyes snapped in surprise as she looked at him. He wasn't going to let him off easily. “What about Noah? I can't leave him alone.” Anthea tried to tell Noah as an excuse. “He's staying with us.” Rayan smiled as he drove the car into his apartment’s parking lot. “He's in your place?” Anthea asked, dumbfounded. “Our place. I think it's big enough f
Rayan swiftly responded to her kiss by wrapping his arms around hers. The passionate kiss suddenly intensified as they both battled for control. Their tongues started to dance together in passionate sync as they both poured all of their longing emotions through the kiss. As moments passed, their hunger and need for each other increased, making their hands work on their own. Rayan's hand started to explore under Anthea's shirt, causing her to shiver. He savoured her lips, relishing the sweetness he found there. She could feel her heartbeat quicken because of his burning touch. She shivered when his hands made contact with her exposed stomach under her t-shirt. Anthea wanted more. "Rayan." Anthea let out a groan. She clenched her hands on his chest as he leaned over her, kissing her lips with such intensity that she felt her breath catch. His soft, plump lips moved in perfect sync with hers. He kissed her lips before gently caressing her upper ones with his. She returned his kiss with
The following morning, Anthea remained comfortably nestled beneath the comfort of the silk duvet. She snuggled closer to the warm body of Rayan while he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his warm embrace. They were both sleeping soundly after the exhausting night; however, the chain of peace suddenly broke when Anthea heard a knock against the bedroom door. She frowned while trying to brush it off.“Daddy!” As soon as Nevaeh’s voice reached Anthea’s ears, her eyes shot open in shock. She quickly tried to untangle herself from Rayan while glancing at the door worriedly. “It's me. Open the door.” Nevaeh called out from behind the door, her little voice getting impatient with the lack of response. “Shit.” Anthea cursed before sitting up straight on the bed. Thankfully, she was wearing a t-shirt. She looked at Rayan, who moved slightly, trying to open his eyes. “Rayan! Wake up. Nevaeh is here.” Anthea quickly nudged him, her eyes flashing with panic. Her voice seemed to wak
Anthea was preparing lunch in the kitchen after spending some time with Nevaeh. She wanted to make all of her daughter’s favourite dishes to make her happy and also catch up with the missing time in their lives.Rayan went upstairs to attend an emergency video conference while Amalia, Nevaeh, and Noah were busy watching television in the living room. Noah had joined them half an hour later. Amalia was helping her until Nevaeh called her. “Anthea!” Amalia’s voice made Anthea snap her head in her direction. She was standing at the kitchen's entrance with a nervous look on her face. “Yes, Amalia?” Anthea smiled while wondering what the reason was behind her sudden nervousness. She quickly put the next batch of cupcakes in the oven before walking towards Amalia. “Can I talk to you for a second?” Amalia asked after taking a long breath. “Sure. Do you need something?” Anthea nodded her head before inquiring. “No. I just, uh, Amalia shook her head while trying to find the right words t
Rayan stepped into the kitchen, his eyes focused on Amalia. The cold expression on his face sent shivers down her spine. “What were you talking about, Amalia?” Rayan asked again, his tone as cold as ice. Anthea stood a few metres away without saying a single word. She didn't know what to say or how to react. It's not like she didn't know Aurelia and Sarah were the ones behind her accident. But what she didn't know was that Amalia was also involved in this, knowingly or unknowingly. This revelation created a bitter feeling inside her chest. “I…I…” Amalia shuttered while her face paled. She couldn't even bring herself to talk to her brother because of the sudden fear inside her chest. “Answer me, Amalia.” Rayan almost raised his voice at Amalia. He was getting impatient with her. “I'm sorry. I… Please forgive me.” Amalia began to cry again as she clenched her fists in fear. “I didn't do it on purpose. I swear I didn't. Don’t hate me,please.” She began to panic while crying hysteric
"Why are we here, Rayan?" Anthea asked the moment she realised where Rayan had brought her! This was the place she dreaded coming to the most.Her father’s grave! Anthea’s mind went blank just thinking of this place. She had never visited this place in the last six years. She just couldn’t go there. Never. It had given her so many memories, sorrows, and pains, along with happiness. "Just trust me, please, baby.""But Rayan, you know I can't." Anthea shook her head; her voice sounded broken and vulnerable. Rayan quickly hugged her, rubbing her back to calm her down. "I know it's hard. But you have to be strong. You are strong. It's high time, Anthea; you need to let this heartbreak go and confront your fear. He's waiting for you, baby," Rayan encouraged while caressing her hair lightly. "You know I can't. It's too painful. I just can't face him, Rayan. How am I going to answer him? He's mad at me, I'm sure. Anthea let out a sob as tears slowly started to fall from her eyes. "Don't
“How did it go?” Anthea asked anxiously as soon as Rayan stepped into the living room. He smiled at her before pulling her into a tight hug. “Everything went well. I have already submitted all the evidence and they are taking the case directly to the court. He wouldn't be able to escape this time.” He answered while burying his face in the crook of his neck, trying to relax. Anthea let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god! You should have taken me with you.” She expressed it heartily while hugging her arms around Rayan’s back. “No! I don't want his dirty eyes to land on you, even for a second. I will take care of everything from here while you just stay here and take care of Nevaeh and our family.” Rayan raised his head and shook it before speaking. Anthea sighed again, totally understanding his concern. “I'm glad finally it's over with the Jones and we can relax.” Anthea smiled, changing the subject as they broke the hug while walking towards the couch. No one was present in the livi
Sebastian just got out of his car and was about to enter the Jones Corporation when a few men walked towards him before blocking his path. “Mr Jones.” One of the men called him before flashing him his ID card. Sebastian, who was surprised by the sudden unwanted visit, looked at the ID card of the man and realised they were from the Central Bureau of Investigation. “What brings you here, Officer?” Sebastian asked, trying to smile politely at them, but deep down he already had an ominous feeling rising inside his chest. “You are under arrest. Please raise your arms and cooperate with us.” The officer announced this loudly, grabbing some passersby’s attention who let out visible gasps while witnessing the scene. Sebastian was quite startled too, as he didn't expect some CBI officer to suddenly appear and tell him that he was being arrested. “What?” He looked at the officer in confusion, not understanding what was going on. “Handcuff him.” The officer ignored his words as he gestured
After the dinner ended, everyone was sitting around and casually chatting when Roman got up from his seat before walking towards Rayan, who was talking to Elijah. “Can I talk to you for a few minutes?” Roman asked Rayan after reaching him. He excused himself from Elijah before nodding politely at Roman. “Of course.” He answered, making Roman nod. Elijah excused himself before giving them some space to talk. “Let's go somewhere quiet.” Roman offered, making Rayan nod. They were about to walk out of the VIP dining lounge when Anthea’s sudden voice stopped them. “Where are you two going?” She asked, looking at them with a frown. Rayan was about to answer her when Roman beat him to it. “Smoking!” Rayan blurted out while trying to cover something from Anthea. The moment the answer left his mouth, Anthea’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her husband with a scowl. “Rayan! I told you to quit smoking.” She glared at him, looking totally pissed. Rayan sighed as he looked at her angry expre
“Anthea, Rayan!” Athena greeted her enthusiastically as soon as Anthea, Rayan, and Nevaeh stepped into the private dining room. “Hey!” Anthea smiled while walking towards her, while Rayan stayed behind her, holding Nevaeh. “We were waiting for you!” Athena said, smiling heartily. Anthea smiled back, her eyes shifting to Roman, Elijah, and Emilia, who were already sitting on the chairs. Emilia waved her hand slightly when she met Anthea’s gaze. “Oh my God! Is that our little princess?" Athena exclaimed in joy when she caught sight of Nevaeh, who was walking beside her father, looking like an angel. Athena was totally awestruck by the sight of Nevaeh. “Yeah!” Anthea nodded with a chuckle, while Rayan smiled. “Nevaeh, say hi to your uncles and aunts." Anthea turned around before instructing Nevaeh with a smile. She looked at her mother before looking at Athena, who was still looking at her with a smile. “Hi!” She grinned shyly while trying to hide behind her father. Rayan let out a
“You didn't tell me you were coming here.” Rayan asked in surprise when he met Anthea in the hallway of the hospital. He was just returning after checking in with his father. He thought she would be going to the office directly after meeting Silas. “Because I knew I would find you here.” Anthea replied with a barely visible smile on her face. Rayan already noticed her dim expression, causing him to frown in concern. “Is everything okay?” He asked, walking towards her before holding her hand. Anthea glanced at him before nodding her head slightly. “Yeah. How is Mr. Allen?” She asked, trying to change the subject. Rayan also realised it but said nothing. He quietly followed her back to the VIP ward. “Better than before. He will be moved to the general word tonight after they did some last inspection.” He replied while intertwining his hands with her. “That's good news.” Anthea nodded, a genuine smile spreading across her lips at the good news. It didn't even pass 48 hours and his c
“You know where. How could you forget what you went through because of him? If it wasn't for family and me, Silas didn't finish his sentence and stopped midway when he noticed Anthea's eyes glaring sharply at him.“So you really think that just because you helped me in my darkest phase, you have some sort of right over me?” Anthea asked, her eyes flashing with coldness at the sudden realisation. “Anthea!” Silas uttered, looking at her with a blank expression. Anthea couldn't read what was running inside her head but at the moment, she barely cared. “Answer me, Silas. Is that what you think?” Anthea pressed further, her expression remaining the same. At that moment, she was sure about one thing: Rayan didn't lie or misunderstand anything. It was she who was blind and delusional. She couldn't see the truth, which was already before her eyes. “Did Rayan tell you this?” Silas suddenly asked back, his expression hardening. He didn't expect that son of a bitch, Rayan, to vomit every sin
“Drop me at this address.” Anthea said this while showing Rayan an address on her phone. “Why? You are not going to the office?” Rayan, who was driving the car, asked before taking the phone from her hand and then glancing at the address. “No. I'm going to meet Silas.” Anthea answered with a sigh. She noticed Rayan’s face hardening as soon as the words left her mouth. For a moment, he didn't say anything. “Okay. I'm going to the hospital to check on Dad. Call me if anything happens.” He nodded after a moment of silence while focusing on the road. “Okay. How is your dad?” Anthea nodded back before inquiring about Benjamin. She didn't receive any news on him from the moment she left the hospital with Silas. “He's improving.” Rayan muttered while taking a turn. The address Anthea showed him wasn't far. “I'm glad to hear that.” She sighed in relief, knowing Benjamin was getting well. She just hoped nothing bad would happen and he would eventually recover. Last night, they talked, an
“Because Silas told me you were in his house and you were going to stay with him when he came to pick Nevaeh up.” Rayan answered, feeling angry and helpless. He shouldn't have listened to that bastard in the first place. He should have known better. “What the hell!” Anthea stared at him in shock. “You don't believe me?” Rayan’s face hardened as he noticed the disbelief in her eyes. She was unwilling to believe him, which meant she trusted that bastard over him. Anthea shook her head immediately. “No! It's not like that. Why would he say something like that?” She denied it before inquiring. Rayan’s expression changed again as he took a step back from her; however, his eyes never left her. “Because he wants to provoke me and create misunderstandings between us.” He answered while grinding his teeth. Anthea frowned as disbelief crossed her eyes. “What are you saying, Rayan? Silas would never do something like that.” She shook her head, trying to deny everything Rayan just said. Ther