Chapter 3
Leilani Moore My heart somewhat hurt when I saw almost everyone at the function with their husbands, and I was almost regretting showing up here in the first place. If it wasn't important to be here, I would've left immediately. I stood close to the counter in the villa, sipping on a glass of wine as I feed my eyes with whatever. "Hey... Mrs Grant. It's been a while," Came the familiar voice I'd never forget even if I was in a deep sleep. It was Lydia, wife of the CEO of Hilton's corporation, and my highschool classmate. While we were in high school, Lydia never ceased trying to bully me for no reason. I had no idea what I did to her, but she would always find every opportunity then to get on my nerve. We met for the first time again six months ago, and she didn't fail to let me know how much she hated me. Not that I knew her reason or care, though. I turned and found her standing beside her husband, Mr. Hilton as they both locked arms. "Hi!" "I haven't seen you in a while. Did you travel or something?" I knew she was here to say shit to me, and I wasn't in the mood for that. Lydia has a knack for getting on people's nerves, especially mine. I carefully dropped the glass, and said to her. "Excuse me," "Come on, Leilani. It's been a while, you should at least say hi to your old friend," She smirked, resting her head on her husband's arm as she held him firmly. "Honey, did I tell you that Mrs Grant is a full-time housewife?" She gasped, looking up at her husband, and he scoffed. "Oh, really?" Her husband looked surprised as he looked at his wife briefly before returning his attention to me. "Yes, honey. I heard Mr. Grant asked her not to work and be a full-time housewife," She covered her mouth as she laughed mockingly. "Wow! That is---" "Insane, right?" She cut him off, and I scoffed. "Baby, have you heard the rumours? I mean the one about Mr. Grant," She asked, gazing at me straight. "I think it's just a rumour. Mr. Grant can't possibly do such a thing knowing it'll ruin his reputation," Her husband replied to her. "Come on, honey. Some men don't think about their reputation when doing certain things especially this particular one..." She paused, looking at me as she said. "Poor you. Everything will be fine," I stood staring at them without saying a word as I slowly clenched my jaw tightly. I wasn't in the mood to exchange words with her. 'She just talked down on your husband. You are not going to put her in her place?' No! That was the last thing I'd do. How could I defend someone who was likely to be cheating on me? "If you have enough time, I think you should spend it working on your manners. If you both are like this, then there'll be no hope for your kids..." I paused, and looked down at her stomach which was slightly bulged. She was pregnant. "Oh... You are already carrying a child," I looked at her face, smirking at her. "For the sake of the unborn child, have some manners," "You!" I glared at them before walking out on them. My heart pounded hard in my chest as I made my way to the restroom. Derek had gone on a business trip since the last three days. What if he was never on a business trip but with another woman? I asked myself, and this time, I wasn't in denial. My mind didn't kick against the thought. What if Derek was really cheating on me? I stayed in the restroom for a few minutes, and once I was calm, I headed out. However, my heart froze in my chest at the person I saw when I stepped out of the restroom. "Hello, querida," My jaw dropped to the ground as his sparkling hazel eyes pierced into mine, a deep smile on his face, revealing his white dentition. 'Querida (beloved)' has it been four years since I last heard that pet name? He was the only one who ever called me by that pet name. "We meet again," His deep baritone voice made my breath hitch. He still looked the same, not ageing a bit even after four years. 6'5ft tall, chiseled face with sharp jawline, nubian-shaped nose which was my most favourite part of his body. Dazzling hazel eyes. The only thing that has changed on his face was the beards he had grown over the years. "Jaxon?" My voice came out almost in a whisper, my lips parting shockingly as I crooked my neck to stare at his face. Jaxon Wolff and I dated for two years before we broke up four years ago when things didn't work out between us. Jaxon was someone I adored so much, and our relationship was my first priority. We were so in love, or maybe I was the only one who was in love with him because to me, he never gave a damn about me. For a man who barely talked to me or gave me his attention yet claimed to love me, I am not the only one that doesn't make sense to, right? I eventually broke up with him when I couldn't take it anymore. The last time I saw him was the day we broke up, though I heard he left the country a few days later. "You still look gorgeous... As always," He said huskily, his eyes piercing into mine as he closed the distance between us. "I missed you, querida... I missed us," He hushed, his hand reaching my face and gently tucking my hair away, and I swallowed nothing. My heart pounded hard in my chest nervously. It felt awkward running into him after several years. "What are you doing here?" The ridiculous question came out of my mouth before I could think about it. The Wolff's family happens to be the wealthiest and most influenced family with chains of businesses around the world, and being an only child, Jaxon inherited everything since six years ago after the death of his Dad. That explained why he's here. He was obviously invited. However, his reply left me frozen as he looked me straight in the eyes and said. "Why do you think I'm here, Leilani?" He paused, placing his hand on the wall behind me. "To see you, of course," His lips curled up in a smirk, straightening his back. "Have you forgotten the promise I made to you?" He asked, and I batted my eyelashes. 'I will work on myself, Leilani. I will be back for you. I will come back for us when I become the perfect man you want to be with. I will make it up to you. I promise' How could I forget his promise though I never took it seriously. "I have come to fulfill the promise, Leilani," My breath hitched as he looked me straight in the eyes, and I swallowed a breath. I scoffed once I was able to pull myself together. How dare he show up in front of me after years as if nothing happened? "Jaxon..." I paused, closing the distance between us as I managed to look into his eyes. "Promise? Those were just mere words to me, and I never held on to them. I didn't have any reason to hold on to a fake promise from someone I'd lost feelings for," His expression changed into sadness and disappointment. Something I didn't care about. "I'd advice you stop showing your face to me, Jaxon. You don't want to get humiliated, trust me," I pushed him off my way before walking off. This function thing turned out to all be a bad Idea...Chapter 4 Leilani Moore 'What do men really want?' the question I kept asking myself as I held Derek's phone in my hand, my blood boiling in rage as I read the text someone sent to him. 'Did you arrive safely, babe? I'm glad you could make out time for us. The kids are missing you already. I can't wait to go on another trip with you again' Derek was not only cheating on me, but he already had kids outside. Not a kid, but kids. I didn't know whether I was the other woman here. What if I was the intruder in their relationship? What if he already married her before me? 'No, you are not' If I was, then I doubt the woman would've allowed him to marry me. I looked over to Derek who was fast asleep beside me on the bed, and my stomach grumbled furiously. The thought of suffocating him to death with a pillow crossed my mind, but no way I would become a murderer because of him. He wasn't worth ending up in jail for. I put the phone away and lay beside him on the bed. There wasn't any poi
Chapter 5 Leilani Moore The day I've been waiting for was finally here. It was Derek's birthday. The villa was already filled with prestigious people Derek had invited. Most of them were his business partners. Derek invited his mistress to the birthday party, and she dared showed her face. The audacity! "Hi!" I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me, and I turned around. Speak of the devil. It was his mistress. "Hi! My husband's friend, right?" Anger flickered on her face when I addressed her that way. That was what I wanted. She was nothing but a friend. At least, that was how he introduced her to me. "Hmm," She hummed, faking a smile. "Enjoy the party. Excuse me," I walked away from her and went to join Derek. "Honey, you are here..." He wrapped an arm around my waist, holding a glass of wine with the other one. "Mrs Grant... It's been a while," Mr. James, one of Derek's business partners smiled at me. "You look gorgeous tonight... As always," Derek's friend, D
Chapter 6: The Breaking Point Leilani Moore I had finally come back home, or at least, what used to feel like home. My feet felt like they were moving on their own, each step toward the living room heavier than the last. The silence inside was deafening, yet it felt comforting like a quiet that was just waiting to swallow me whole. As soon as I closed the door behind me, the dam inside me broke. The tears started flowing uncontrollably like a river finally freed from the dam that had been holding it back. I collapsed onto the couch, burying my face in my hands as sobs wracked my body. I felt like I was being suffocated by the weight of everything…the betrayal, the humiliation, the lies. How could Derek do this to me? To us? All those years together, all the love I had given him, and this was how he repaid me? I have tried my best, to control how I felt, and to not lash out up to the point I went to court and requested divorce papers and at this point, I could only let the tears fa
Chapter 7:Unfinished BusinessLeilani MooreI awoke to dazzling sunlight flooding through the curtains, and my head pounded like a thousand sledgehammers. I sat up slowly, my body throbbing from all that had happened. I had not gotten a good night's sleep. Everything that had happened had filled my mind, particularly the phone call from that unidentified person. Despite my best efforts to avoid thinking about it, the recollections continued to whirl in my head. I let out a deep breath and squeeze my eyes shut one more time. The pain in my head seemed to reflect the chaos inside me, and I couldn’t help but wonder how long it would take to heal. Maybe never.I stumbled out of bed, dragging my feet across the floor as I made my way to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face, hoping it would clear my mind, but all it did was amplify the headache. I stood there for a moment, looking at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were puffy from crying, and my hair was a tangled mess. I di
Chapter 8: The CallLeilani MooreTwo weeks had passed since I had walked out of my marriage and shut the door on Derek’s face. Two weeks of silence and peace. Two weeks of not having to deal with his lies, his deception, and his hollow apologies. In those two weeks, I had managed to regain some of the composure I had lost, slowly putting myself back together, piece by piece.My mind was no longer constantly racing, I wasn’t sad anymore. I wasn’t heartbroken. It felt almost foreign to me, this new feeling of calm, but I welcomed it. The house was quiet, no more running away from the truth. I could breathe again, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like I was in control.I stepped into the living room and I saw my parents laughing at whatever joke they were saying, my mother stopped and turned to look at me with a wide smile on her face. “You are back Leilani,” she said and I nodded approaching them.“What’s making you so happy?” I asked and my mom chuckled again.“Ruth is
Chapter 9: Tensions UnspokenLeilani MooreI walked into the office, trying to shake off the unsettling anger brewing inside of me, I wondered what Jaxon truly wanted and why he chose this time of all time to disturb me. The click of my heels echoed through the hallway. As I passed by the glass walls of the conference room, I paused, noticing a figure at the end of the hallway. Jaxon.My heart gave an unexpected lurch in my chest, the same kind of flutter I hated to admit had been there for years even when I thought it was all gone but it takes only a glance at him again to remind me it was never gone. His back was turned, but I could already feel the familiar heat that only his presence could stir.I squared my shoulders and marched toward him, anger fueling each step. He had no business being here. I really need to put him in his place and he needs to stop appearing wherever I am, I don’t know what gave him the right and thoughts he ca
Chapter 10: Lingering ShadowsLeilani MooreI felt him before I saw him.A soft pressure at my back, the heat of his chest brushing against mine as his presence filled the space behind me. My breath caught. The warmth of him was unmistakable. It was Jaxon.“Querida,” his voice was a hushed whisper, sending a shiver down my spine. The sound of the nickname he only called me from his lips was both familiar and dangerous. He leaned in closer, his lips barely brushing my ear, the warm breath sending a tremor through me.I swallowed, trying to hold onto the reality of the moment, but there was no escaping him, no fighting the pull. His hands slid over my arms, gentle but insistent, as though he knew exactly how to make my body respond to him. He moved closer, pressing his body against mine. His strength was a force that I couldn’t ignore, even if I wanted to. The heat between us was electric, charged with something both old and new.H
Chapter 11: His FuryDerek GrantI sat in the back of the sleek black car, the city blurring by as I replayed everything in my mind. My office had felt like a cage, the walls pressing in around me as the weight of everything I had worked for came crashing down. Leilani had made her move, and I was powerless to stop her. She had been so meticulous, so cold, gathering everything she needed to destroy me and she had done it effortlessly.The news of Moore Corporation pulling out had been the final blow. The deal that was supposed to secure my future, the cornerstone of everything I had built, had evaporated because of her. I should have been more careful, I had let my guard down thinking she trusted me enough and she would never try to find out what was happening but I was wrong, she had been planning this and I wondered how long she had the plans going, how long she has been waiting to finally destroy me. I thought I had it all, planned out and figured
Chapter 12: A Sister's ReturnLeilani MooreWe finally broke from the hug, a mixture of excitement and nervousness bubbling in my chest. Ruth had always been the free spirit in the family, the one who couldn't be tied down to anything for too long. Her absence had left a gap, one I hadn't really noticed until now that she was back. There was a warmth to her presence, a familiar glow that seemed to fill the house as she walked in."You look amazing," I said looking at her. Ruth looked exactly the same in some ways, tall, and confident, with that unmistakable glint in her eyes. But there was something softer about her now, a gentleness I hadn't expected.The sudden opening of my door caught both of us attention, I turned and saw Father and Mother walking in, they looked so excited to see her, and I couldn’t blame them, anyone will feel the same way if you haven’t seen your daughter for years.“I can see you are already catching up with your sister,” Father said and Ruth chuckled “Of co
Chapter 11: His FuryDerek GrantI sat in the back of the sleek black car, the city blurring by as I replayed everything in my mind. My office had felt like a cage, the walls pressing in around me as the weight of everything I had worked for came crashing down. Leilani had made her move, and I was powerless to stop her. She had been so meticulous, so cold, gathering everything she needed to destroy me and she had done it effortlessly.The news of Moore Corporation pulling out had been the final blow. The deal that was supposed to secure my future, the cornerstone of everything I had built, had evaporated because of her. I should have been more careful, I had let my guard down thinking she trusted me enough and she would never try to find out what was happening but I was wrong, she had been planning this and I wondered how long she had the plans going, how long she has been waiting to finally destroy me. I thought I had it all, planned out and figured
Chapter 10: Lingering ShadowsLeilani MooreI felt him before I saw him.A soft pressure at my back, the heat of his chest brushing against mine as his presence filled the space behind me. My breath caught. The warmth of him was unmistakable. It was Jaxon.“Querida,” his voice was a hushed whisper, sending a shiver down my spine. The sound of the nickname he only called me from his lips was both familiar and dangerous. He leaned in closer, his lips barely brushing my ear, the warm breath sending a tremor through me.I swallowed, trying to hold onto the reality of the moment, but there was no escaping him, no fighting the pull. His hands slid over my arms, gentle but insistent, as though he knew exactly how to make my body respond to him. He moved closer, pressing his body against mine. His strength was a force that I couldn’t ignore, even if I wanted to. The heat between us was electric, charged with something both old and new.H
Chapter 9: Tensions UnspokenLeilani MooreI walked into the office, trying to shake off the unsettling anger brewing inside of me, I wondered what Jaxon truly wanted and why he chose this time of all time to disturb me. The click of my heels echoed through the hallway. As I passed by the glass walls of the conference room, I paused, noticing a figure at the end of the hallway. Jaxon.My heart gave an unexpected lurch in my chest, the same kind of flutter I hated to admit had been there for years even when I thought it was all gone but it takes only a glance at him again to remind me it was never gone. His back was turned, but I could already feel the familiar heat that only his presence could stir.I squared my shoulders and marched toward him, anger fueling each step. He had no business being here. I really need to put him in his place and he needs to stop appearing wherever I am, I don’t know what gave him the right and thoughts he ca
Chapter 8: The CallLeilani MooreTwo weeks had passed since I had walked out of my marriage and shut the door on Derek’s face. Two weeks of silence and peace. Two weeks of not having to deal with his lies, his deception, and his hollow apologies. In those two weeks, I had managed to regain some of the composure I had lost, slowly putting myself back together, piece by piece.My mind was no longer constantly racing, I wasn’t sad anymore. I wasn’t heartbroken. It felt almost foreign to me, this new feeling of calm, but I welcomed it. The house was quiet, no more running away from the truth. I could breathe again, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like I was in control.I stepped into the living room and I saw my parents laughing at whatever joke they were saying, my mother stopped and turned to look at me with a wide smile on her face. “You are back Leilani,” she said and I nodded approaching them.“What’s making you so happy?” I asked and my mom chuckled again.“Ruth is
Chapter 7:Unfinished BusinessLeilani MooreI awoke to dazzling sunlight flooding through the curtains, and my head pounded like a thousand sledgehammers. I sat up slowly, my body throbbing from all that had happened. I had not gotten a good night's sleep. Everything that had happened had filled my mind, particularly the phone call from that unidentified person. Despite my best efforts to avoid thinking about it, the recollections continued to whirl in my head. I let out a deep breath and squeeze my eyes shut one more time. The pain in my head seemed to reflect the chaos inside me, and I couldn’t help but wonder how long it would take to heal. Maybe never.I stumbled out of bed, dragging my feet across the floor as I made my way to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face, hoping it would clear my mind, but all it did was amplify the headache. I stood there for a moment, looking at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were puffy from crying, and my hair was a tangled mess. I di
Chapter 6: The Breaking Point Leilani Moore I had finally come back home, or at least, what used to feel like home. My feet felt like they were moving on their own, each step toward the living room heavier than the last. The silence inside was deafening, yet it felt comforting like a quiet that was just waiting to swallow me whole. As soon as I closed the door behind me, the dam inside me broke. The tears started flowing uncontrollably like a river finally freed from the dam that had been holding it back. I collapsed onto the couch, burying my face in my hands as sobs wracked my body. I felt like I was being suffocated by the weight of everything…the betrayal, the humiliation, the lies. How could Derek do this to me? To us? All those years together, all the love I had given him, and this was how he repaid me? I have tried my best, to control how I felt, and to not lash out up to the point I went to court and requested divorce papers and at this point, I could only let the tears fa
Chapter 5 Leilani Moore The day I've been waiting for was finally here. It was Derek's birthday. The villa was already filled with prestigious people Derek had invited. Most of them were his business partners. Derek invited his mistress to the birthday party, and she dared showed her face. The audacity! "Hi!" I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me, and I turned around. Speak of the devil. It was his mistress. "Hi! My husband's friend, right?" Anger flickered on her face when I addressed her that way. That was what I wanted. She was nothing but a friend. At least, that was how he introduced her to me. "Hmm," She hummed, faking a smile. "Enjoy the party. Excuse me," I walked away from her and went to join Derek. "Honey, you are here..." He wrapped an arm around my waist, holding a glass of wine with the other one. "Mrs Grant... It's been a while," Mr. James, one of Derek's business partners smiled at me. "You look gorgeous tonight... As always," Derek's friend, D
Chapter 4 Leilani Moore 'What do men really want?' the question I kept asking myself as I held Derek's phone in my hand, my blood boiling in rage as I read the text someone sent to him. 'Did you arrive safely, babe? I'm glad you could make out time for us. The kids are missing you already. I can't wait to go on another trip with you again' Derek was not only cheating on me, but he already had kids outside. Not a kid, but kids. I didn't know whether I was the other woman here. What if I was the intruder in their relationship? What if he already married her before me? 'No, you are not' If I was, then I doubt the woman would've allowed him to marry me. I looked over to Derek who was fast asleep beside me on the bed, and my stomach grumbled furiously. The thought of suffocating him to death with a pillow crossed my mind, but no way I would become a murderer because of him. He wasn't worth ending up in jail for. I put the phone away and lay beside him on the bed. There wasn't any poi