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Staying Behind
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-31 23:51:17
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Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging A Friend in Need
The alarm shrieked like a banshee, dragging me from what little sleep I'd managed to find. My eyes felt like they'd been rolled in sand, and my back ached from the awkward position I'd maintained all night—half-sitting against the headboard, knife clutched in my hand. I'd dozed off around four, only to jerk awake at every creak and groan the building made."Fuck this," I muttered, silencing the alarm and dragging myself to the bathroom.The face in the mirror looked like shit. Dark circles shadowed my eyes, and my skin had the sallow tinge of exhaustion. I splashed cold water on my face, willing the fog to clear from my brain.Coffee. I needed coffee.But the kitchen was still a disaster zone, broken dishes scattered across the counter. I hadn't gotten around to cleaning that part yet. Daniel had been thorough in his destruction, not leaving a single mug intact.My phone buzzed with a text from Olivia.On my way with coffee and bagels. Don't argue.I smiled despite everything. What did
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-01Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Office Thorne
The Thorne Designs building loomed ahead, all glass and chrome and promise. Two weeks ago, walking through those doors had felt like stepping into a new future. Now, it just felt like another battlefield."Good morning, Ms. Russo," the security guard nodded, his eyes widening slightly as he took in my appearance. I must have looked even worse than I thought.The elevator was mercifully empty. I leaned against the wall, gathering whatever energy I could for the day ahead. The doors opened to the design floor, and I straightened my spine, lifted my chin. I might feel like shit, but I'd be damned if I'd show it."Maya!" Emma Lawrence's assistant—not Alex's assistant, I mentally corrected myself—intercepted me before I could reach my desk. "You look... did you get caught in the rain?"I'd forgotten her name. Sarah? Samantha? Something with an S."Long night," I said, trying to move past her."Oh?" Her eyebrows shot up, a smile playing at her lips. "Wouldn't have anything to do with Mr. Tho
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-02Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Liability
The morning dragged on. I threw myself into the accessory designs, determined to make even this demotion into something spectacular. But every time I looked up, I caught someone looking away quickly or whispering to a colleague.At the eleven o'clock design meeting, things got worse. Bernard ran through the collection updates, barely acknowledging my presence. When I tried to offer suggestions for improving the bracelet clasp design, he nodded vaguely and then attributed the same idea to Sophie when she repeated it five minutes later."Excellent modification, Sophie," he said, making a note. "That's exactly the kind of refinement we need."I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood.After the meeting, I retreated to the break room, needing a moment alone. But as I approached, I heard voices from inside—Bernard and Phillip, one of the executive VPs."—liability at this point," Phillip was saying. "The client specifically mentioned concerns about her emotional stability.""She's talented," B
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-02Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Someone Had Lied
I dragged my ass to the office before the sun was fully up, fueled by three shots of espresso and pure stubbornness. Sleep had been a joke—just tossing and turning between nightmares of Daniel's smirking face. By 4AM, I'd given up and just sat in the shower until the hot water ran out, trying to wash away yesterday's humiliations.I liked the design floor when it was empty—no staring eyes, no whispers, no Sophie's fake-sweet smile. Just possibility in the quiet. I dumped my bag and spread out my sad collection of surviving sketches across the desk. So Daniel wanted to break me? Fuck him. I'd show everyone what accessory design could really be.My fingers flew across the tablet, sketching earring designs that complemented but didn't overshadow the main collection. Focusing on work helped quiet the chaos in my head. Each line, each curve, each decision felt like a small victory—proof that I still had control over something."You're here early."I looked up to find Emma watching me, coffe
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-03Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Warning
I spent the next two hours refining my presentation, making sure every detail was perfect. The women's line would be elegant, distinctive, cohesive with the men's pieces Sophie was designing, but with its own clear identity.At ten-thirty, I headed to the conference room to set up. Sophie was already there, arranging her materials with precise movements."I heard Cartwright specifically requested you," she said without looking up. "That's quite a feat for someone who's barely been here five minutes.""My work speaks for itself."She laughed softly. "Does it? Or does having the CEO in your pocket speak louder?"The insinuation made my skin crawl. "You know, Sophie, it must be exhausting being this obsessed with me. Have you considered therapy?"That got her attention. She straightened, eyes flashing. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm just concerned about the company's reputation. We have standards here.""Yes, and stealing other designers' work probably isn't one of them. Or wait—is that sti
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-05Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Fix my Access!
I made it through the rest of the morning on autopilot, fielding congratulations from colleagues who'd ignored me yesterday. Their sudden warmth felt hollow, conditional on success rather than genuine support.By lunch, Sophie's revenge campaign was in full swing. Every time I walked into a room, conversations died like I had some contagious disease. In the break room, two junior designers practically tripped over themselves getting out when I came in for water."I heard she fucked Cartwright in his hotel last night," someone whispered just loud enough for me to hear. "That's why he insisted on her.""Alex must be pissed. I thought she was his side piece?"I slammed my mug down so hard it cracked, water splashing across the counter. The whispers stopped instantly. Good. At least fear still worked when respect wasn't an option.But when I tried to access the revised project files and found my permissions blocked, something inside me snapped. This wasn't just gossip anymore—this was acti
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-05Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Tangled Sentiments
By mid-afternoon, I'd reached my breaking point. Three days of whispering, blocked access, Sophie's venomous smiles, and now Alex was ghosting me like we were in some middle school drama? Fuck that.I marched toward his office like a woman possessed. Let them gossip about that. His assistant tried to do that little half-stand thing secretaries do when they're about to block you."He's on a call—""He can multitask," I said, not slowing down. I was done playing nice."I told you, it's handled." A pause. "No, she doesn't need to know... Because it would only complicate things."My ears burned. She. Me? Was he talking about me?"I'm aware of the risks," he continued, voice tight with tension. "But this is the best approach. Trust me on this."Unable to wait any longer, I knocked sharply."Come in," he called, though I was already halfway through the door.Alex stood by the window, phone pressed to his ear. When he saw me, his expression shifted—surprise, then something unreadable."I'll c
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"Alex, I didn't—" I started, shock replacing anger.He moved before I could finish. His hand caught my wrist again, but this time he pulled me toward him, not away. In one fluid motion, his other hand was in my hair, and his mouth was on mine.The kiss wasn't gentle. It was hungry, desperate, months of tension exploding between us like a dam breaking. His lips were firm, demanding, his hand tightening in my hair as he angled my face up to his.For a heartbeat, I froze. Then something wild and reckless flared inside me, and I was kissing him back, my fingers digging into his shoulders. He tasted like coffee and anger and something uniquely him. His body was hard against mine, his heart hammering as fast as my own.He backed me against his desk, lifting me slightly so I was perched on the edge. My skirt rode up as his body pressed between my thighs. Some distant part of my brain screamed that this was insane—he was my boss, we were in his office, I had just slapped him—but then his teeth
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-10
Bab terbaru
Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Everyone gets a share
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. One of the staff, not bothering to wait for an answer before entering."Phone call for you, Fiona. Your mother."I followed her to the communal phone, accepting the receiver with a practiced neutral expression."Hello, Mother.""Fiona." Caroline's voice was tight, controlled. "How are you progressing?""Excellently. I'm journaling my feelings and embracing sobriety one day at a time."The sarcasm was thick enough to spread on toast, but Caroline ignored it, as she ignored anything unpleasant that couldn't be fixed with money or public relations."Good. We've arranged for you to stay at The Residence when you're released next week. It's a transitional living facility for people in recovery. Very discreet.""I thought I'd be coming home." I knew the answer even as I said it."That wouldn't be best for your recovery." The practiced line of someone who'd consulted experts for the right way to abandon their child. "Besides, your father and I are
Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Displacement
I hurled the notebook across the room, my carefully maintained composure cracking. The soccer mom—Tracy? Stacy?—jumped in her bed, eyes wide with alarm."Sorry," I muttered. "Bad memory."She nodded with the instant forgiveness of the perpetually frightened and turned back to her recovery romance novel.I closed my eyes, but the memories kept coming. The day my parents brought Maya "home." The press conference, the tearful reunion carefully staged for maximum emotional impact. Me, standing to the side, watching Caroline Kingston touch Maya's face with a reverence she'd never shown me."Look at you," she'd whispered. "You have your grandmother's eyes. We thought we'd never see them again."I'd given interviews, playing the ecstatic sister. I'd shared my room, my clothes, my parents. I'd shown her the family business, introduced her to industry contacts I'd cultivated for years. All while watching Caroline and Robert orbit around her like she was the sun and I was just some distant, dis
Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Maya’s Look Alike
FionaThe white walls of the rehab center wouldn't stop spinning. Thirty days sober and I still couldn't get my balance. The therapist said it would pass, but what the fuck did she know? She hadn't lost everything in one night.I studied my reflection in the bathroom mirror. They'd taken my makeup during the "contraband check," claiming the compact mirror was a "cutting risk." As if I'd slice my wrists with a cheap plastic mirror. If I wanted to die, I'd do it with style. Nothing half-assed for Fiona Kingston.Kingston. I traced the outline of my face, searching for traces of them in my features. Was my nose Robert's? My eyes Caroline's? I'd spent years finding family resemblance where there was none."You're making excellent progress, Fiona." Dr. Levine's voice echoed in my head, that patronizing tone she used when lying to make patients feel better. "These breakthrough revelations about your adoption are painful but necessary for healing."Breakthrough. Like I hadn't known since I w
Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Her Journal
I left without waiting for her response, clutching my earnings—just over six hundred dollars—and my remaining jewelry. Instead of heading directly to my truck, I ducked into the general store and waited near the window, watching the street. The SUV had disappeared, but my nerves remained on high alert.After fifteen minutes with no sign of the vehicle, I hurried to my truck and drove back to the cabin, taking two wrong turns just to make sure I wasn't followed.Back at the cabin, I tried to research "Vega technique" and "Lupe Vega" online, but the internet connection was spotty at best, and my searches yielded little useful information. A few obscure references to innovative glass bead techniques from the 1980s. A mention in an archived design magazine about "promising newcomer Lupe Vega." Nothing that definitively connected this designer to my Mami
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I spent the afternoon gathering supplies, then worked through the night preparing pieces for the fair. I created six more complete jewelry sets, each built around those distinctive spiral beads. By dawn, I had enough inventory to fill a small display, if not a full booth.I arrived at the square precisely at eight, carrying a folding table I'd found in the cabin's shed and a wooden tray that displayed my pieces against dark velvet. A few other vendors were already setting up, arranging pottery or paintings or handwoven textiles. Eleanor pointed me to a corner spot beneath a massive oak tree, the dappled shade perfect for displaying jewelry without harsh glare."You have your own table. Good." Her tone was clipped, but not unfriendly. "Need anything else?""I'm all set, thanks."She nodded and moved on, but I noticed her watching me from time to time as I arranged my pieces. Something about her attention felt oddly specific, though I couldn't place why.I wondered if she recognized me.
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Two weeks passed in a blur. I'd fallen into a routine that felt both new and achingly familiar. Wake with the sun. Coffee on the porch. Hike the overgrown trails that surrounded the cabin until my legs ached. Sketch whatever caught my eye—a particular twist of tree branch, the pattern of lichen on stone, the way light filtered through pine needles. Then work with glass until my fingers were raw and my back screamed from hunching over the flame.I'd cleaned out the workshop properly now, scrubbing years of dust and grime from every surface. I'd cataloged all the supplies, surprised by how much Mami Lulu had left behind. Hundreds of glass rods in every imaginable color. Tools in pristine condition, despite the years of neglect. A small kiln that, miraculously, still worked when I plugged it into the generator I'd bought during my first supply run to town.The cabin itself had transformed too. I'd scrubbed every surface, repaired what I could with my limited skills, and arranged my meage
Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Trying Again
I spent the next several hours continuing the cleaning I'd started yesterday—more sweeping, more scrubbing, removing sheets from the bedroom furniture I hadn't gotten to yet. After more fiddling with the water system, I finally located the main valve outside and, after several attempts, managed to get the old pipes to deliver rust-colored water that eventually ran clear. The electricity was another matter—apparently disconnected long ago—but I'd come prepared with battery-powered lanterns and the camping stove I'd used last night.By mid-afternoon, I was filthy, sweaty, and oddly satisfied. The bedroom was now reasonably clean to match the progress I'd made in the main room yesterday, the bathroom was functional if primitive, and I'd aired out more of the musty odor. My arms ached from scrubbing and carrying water, but the physical exhaustion felt good—clarifying, somehow.I dragged an old wooden chair onto the front porch and collapsed into it, watching as the sun began its descent t
Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging The Past Feeling
MayaI woke with a start, disoriented by the unfamiliar shadows cast across rough-hewn beams. For a moment, panic seized me—where the hell was I? Then the scent registered: pine, wood smoke, and something else—something that tugged at memories buried so deep they felt more like dreams than lived experience.The cabin. My cabin.Sunlight filtered through the windows I'd wiped down yesterday, catching dust particles that still danced in the early morning light despite my cleaning efforts. The fire I'd built last night had died to embers, leaving a slight chill in the air. Now, in the revealing daylight, I saw my childhood home properly, the areas I hadn't managed to clean yet standing in stark contrast to the parts I'd already restored.It was smaller than I remembered. Childhood memories have a way of making everything seem larger, more expansive. But the essentials were exactly as they'd lived in my mind: the stone fireplace dominating one wall, the rough wooden table beneath the east
Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging Obsession
AlexI made it to my car before my composure cracked. Sitting behind the wheel, I slammed my palm against it hard enough to hurt, cursing under my breath. I'd handled that all wrong. Again.The look on Maya's face when I admitted hiring a PI—pure betrayal. Rage. Fear. All justified.I started the engine but didn't move, just sat there staring up at the lights of her apartment building. She'd tried to slap me. Again. I couldn't blame her."Not investigating you anymore." Christ. As if stopping was some kind of favor I'd done her. No wonder she'd exploded.The envelope of evidence sat on the passenger seat where I'd placed a second copy before heading up to her apartment. I'd known she might destroy the first one. Might not believe me. Might throw me out.I'd been right about all of it, and still managed to fuck up the execution completely.The dashboard clock read 8:47 PM. Not even nine, but I felt as if I'd aged a decade in the last forty minutes. I pulled away from the curb, forcing
