Share

Someone Had Lied

Penulis: Jenne Lopes
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-02-03 22:21:35
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
Lanjutkan membaca buku ini secara gratis
Pindai kode untuk mengunduh Aplikasi
Bab Terkunci

Bab terkait

  • Divorced 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 : 2025-02-05
  • Divorced 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 : 2025-02-05
  • Divorced 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

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-10
  • Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging   Grandfather’s Summon

    "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
  • Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging   Damage Control

    Alex"I'm afraid the board has concerns, Alex."Richard Whitmore's voice was mild but pointed. I kept my face impassive as I surveyed the boardroom. Eight board members, eight potential obstacles."Concerns about what, exactly?" I knew, but I wanted them to say it.Whitmore straightened his tie. "About hiring Maya Russo. The optics are... problematic.""The optics," I repeated. "Of hiring one of the most talented designers in the industry?""Of hiring Daniel Russo's wife in the middle of a messy divorce," Victoria Reynolds interjected from my left. "A divorce that's becoming increasingly public.""Soon-to-be ex-wife," I corrected. "And her talent isn't in question.""Her stability is." James Porter, our general counsel, tapped his pen against the table. "Her recent behavior at the industry gala, the public confrontation with her sister, now the break-in at her apartment... It raises questions, Alex."I shouldn't have mentioned the break-in to Bernard. That was a mistake. The informatio

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-11
  • Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging   Honest Apology

    MayaI stared through the Uber window at Saint Joseph's Medical Center as we pulled up. Fucking hospitals. Same antiseptic smell, same fluorescent despair, same shitty memories. I'd spent too many nights in places like this—sitting beside Mami Lulu as she deteriorated, or my own visits after Daniel's "accidental" shoves down the stairs. And now Grandfather."Hope everything's okay," my driver said, eyeing me in the rearview.I managed something resembling a smile. "Yeah, thanks."The hospital smell hit me like a slap—bleach trying to cover up sickness and fear. I breathed through my mouth as I approached the information desk, where a tired-looking woman tapped at her computer."I'm here for Giuseppe Russo," I said, trying not to sound as frayed as I felt.Her fingers clicked across the keyboard. "Ah, yes. Mr. Russo. Cardiac care unit, sixth floor." She gave me a practiced once-over. "Family only at this time.""I'm his granddaughter-in-law." The words tasted weird. Was I still that? Wi

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-11
  • Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging   Accusations

    The apology—so unexpected, so genuine—left me momentarily speechless. How long had I waited for someone in the Russo family to acknowledge what was happening? To see me?Before I could respond, a nurse entered to check Grandfather's vitals. I used the interruption to compose myself, blinking back unexpected tears."Your numbers are looking good, Mr. Russo," the nurse said cheerfully. "But don't overdo it with visitors, okay? Your heart needs rest.""My heart has been resting for too long," Grandfather grumbled, but there was no heat in it.When the nurse left, Grandfather turned back to me, his expression serious. "Maya, I need to ask you something important.""What is it?" I leaned closer, concerned by his sudden intensity."Are you truly happy at Thorne Designs?"The question seemed oddly specific. "I... yes, I think so. It's been an adjustment, but the work is challenging, and I'm learning a lot.""And Alex Thorne? How is he as an employer?"I hesitated, our argument from earlier fl

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-13
  • Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging   Overstepping Boundaries

    "Are you?" Alex's voice carried a dangerous edge. "Like you took care of her apartment?"The accusation hung in the air between them. Daniel's expression didn't change, but something dark flickered in his eyes."I don't know what you're implying," he said smoothly. "Maya's apartment was broken into, which is unfortunate. But accidents happen, especially in that neighborhood.""It wasn't an accident," I said, unable to stay silent in the face of such blatant gaslighting. "And we both know it."Daniel turned to me, his smile never wavering. "Maya, sweetheart, you're upset. Understandably so, with Grandfather's condition. But throwing around accusations isn't helpful."The familiar patronizing tone made my blood boil. "Don't 'sweetheart' me. And don't pretend you give a damn about my feelings.""Maya—" Daniel started, reaching for my arm.Alex stepped forward instantly, intercepting Daniel's hand. "Don't touch her."The movement was quick, defensive rather than aggressive, but Daniel's ey

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-02

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

  • Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging   Black SUV

    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.

  • Divorced My CEO Husband, He Came Begging   Getting a Booth

    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

Jelajahi dan baca novel bagus secara gratis
Akses gratis ke berbagai novel bagus di aplikasi GoodNovel. Unduh buku yang kamu suka dan baca di mana saja & kapan saja.
Baca buku gratis di Aplikasi
Pindai kode untuk membaca di Aplikasi
DMCA.com Protection Status