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chapter 171
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2024-12-27 01:15:25
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ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 172
But in the moment, he realized, they had both lost far more than they could have expected. He looked at his phone on the table, Alexis’s number still saved there, in spite of the fact that he hadn’t called her in weeks. There had been times when he had floated over the dial button, nearly ready to bridge the hole, to apologise, to confess. But at that point pride would get the way better of him, and he would withdraw into his shell of self-righteousness. He gazed out the window at the obscuring sky. “This is what it’s come to,” he mumbled. “Destroying everything for what? To say I won?” In the calm, Haven could listen to the distant sounds of the city outside, the murmur of cars, the intermittent yell from the road. The clamour felt so remote, as if it had a place in another world. He stood up, pacing the room, his mind reeling with the results of each choice, each move they had made. He hadn’t realized how far things had gone until now, until the house was calm, and the reality of
Last Updated : 2024-12-27ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 173
Haven, , found himself pacing his loft, the reality of the circumstance hitting him harder with each walking step. The games , the posturing, it had all been for nothing. He had gone through so much time trying to protect his pride, trying to come out on top, that he hadn’t taken note of what was slipping away. His family, his sense of peace, it was all disintegrating, and now, standing in the destruction, he didn’t know how to settle it. He thought of calling Alexis, but the thought felt pointless. What would he say? “Sorry”? “Let’s try again”? It was late for expressions of remorse, late for second chances. They had gone far down this way to turn back now. But even so, Haven couldn’t help but ponder what might have happened if they had just talked, really talked, before things spiraled out of control. In case they had put aside the outrage, the resentment, the pride, and attempted to discover a way to meet in the middle. Perhaps they could have saved their marriage. Possibly they m
Last Updated : 2024-12-27ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 174
“Haven?” The knock was delicate but firm, a sound that held his nerves more than comforted them. “Come in.” His voice held a snugness he couldn’t cover up. Alexis pushed the door open and walked inside, her nearness sharp as ever. She had this way of entering a room in spite of the fact that she was as of now in control of it. Her appearance was immaculate, indeed now. Dressed in her signature gown, Alexis didn’t seem like a woman trying to settle a divorce. She looked like somebody ready for a fight. "Have you checked the papers?" she inquired, crossing her arms. Haven remained seated, his hands grasping the arms of his chair. He wasn’t going to allow her the joy of seeing how deeply shaken he was. “Of course, I’ve gone through them,” he answered, his tone measured. “I just don’t get why you feel you have to handle things this way.” Alexis shrugged as in spite of the fact that the passionate aftermath of their long marriage was a minor burden. “Because it's what is required to h
Last Updated : 2024-12-27ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 175
"Since it's unavoidable. All you're doing is dragging it out, hoping something changes. But nothing’s getting to change, Haven. This is happening." He sat forward, his eyes never leaving hers. "I’m not signing anything until I’ve weighed all my choices." Alexis's eyes flared for a minute, deceiving her dissatisfaction, but she quickly regained control. "You’re hurting yourself more than anybody else by doing this. You think your business isn’t suffering since all this dramatization? People are as of now talking, clients are pulling out. You’re going to end up with nothing." "I'll take that risk," he said calmly, in spite of the fact that his voice had an edge to it. "This isn’t about business, Alexis. Typically about making sure you don’t walk away considering you'll be able to steamroll over me." Her lips fixed, and she looked up. "Fine. Play your small games, Haven. But just know that when this is all over, you're going to regret it." She turned strongly, her heels resounding th
Last Updated : 2024-12-27ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 176
"Great. I’ll be here when you’re done. Call me." Vanessa hung up, leaving haven alone with his thoughts once more. He pushed open the car door, the cool evening air hitting him as he stepped out. His feet felt like lead as he walked towards the front yard, each step heavier than the last. With a temperamental hand, he knocked on the door. The door swung open, and there she was, Alexis. The lady he had loved for a long time, the woman he had built a life with, presently standing before him, looking startled and awkward. "Haven," she said, her voice bound with surprise. "What are you doing here?" He could hear the tremor in her voice, the uncertainty. She wasn’t expecting him. Great, he thought. She shouldn’t have. "We got to talk," Haven said solidly, venturing inside before she might dissent. The scent of supper floated from the kitchen, but the warmth of the home felt strange to him now. This wasn’t his house any longer, not truly. Alexis delayed, looking over her shoulder. Hav
Last Updated : 2024-12-27ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 177
"Great. I’ll be here when you’re done. Call me." Vanessa hung up, leaving haven alone with his thoughts once more. He pushed open the car door, the cool evening air hitting him as he stepped out. His feet felt like lead as he walked towards the front yard, each step heavier than the last. With a temperamental hand, he knocked on the door. The door swung open, and there she was, Alexis. The lady he had loved for a long time, the woman he had built a life with, presently standing before him, looking startled and awkward. "Haven," she said, her voice bound with surprise. "What are you doing here?" He could hear the tremor in her voice, the uncertainty. She wasn’t expecting him. Great, he thought. She shouldn’t have. "We got to talk," Haven said solidly, venturing inside before she might dissent. The scent of supper floated from the kitchen, but the warmth of the home felt strange to him now. This wasn’t his house any longer, not truly. Alexis delayed, looking over her shoulder. Have
Last Updated : 2024-12-27ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 178
Haven glared at him. "I’m not talking to you." Alexis places a hand on Matthew’s arm, calming him. "Haven, he’s right. This... this isn’t going to change anything. I’ve moved on." Haven felt just like the air had been sucked out of the room. There it was. The ultimate blow. She had moved on. He had been holding out trust, a little bit of chance that possibly, just possibly, they might settle things. But that trust had just been smashed. He took a step back, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. "So that’s it, at that point?" Alexis gestured, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I’m sorry, Haven. I truly am." He gazed at her for a long minute, looking at her face for something, anything that would grant him reason to fight. But there was nothing. She was gone. Without another word, Haven turned and walked out of the house. The door closed behind him, and the cool night air hit him like a slap in the face. He stood there for a minute, letting the reality of it all sink in.
Last Updated : 2024-12-27ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 179
Haven jeered. “Bounced back? Do you think anybody sees me that way? Half the city watched my life disintegrate in the tabloids. I’m a walking punchline, Jade. They’ll laugh me out of the room.” But Jade wasn’t giving up. “You’re still Haven . You built this company once, and you'll be able to do it once more. Don’t let her take that away from you.” Haven gazed at her, his expression softening. He acknowledged Jade’s devotion, even in spite of the fact that he wasn’t sure he deserved it. “You’re good to me,” he said discreetly. Jade smiled faintly and left him alone in the office, leaving Haven to wrestle with his thoughts. He returned to the window, observing the rain drop harder. He knew Jade was right. He couldn’t let Alexis’s betrayal define the rest of his life, but moving on was easier said than done. That evening, Haven sat alone in his house, nursing a glass of bourbon. His mind kept floating back to Alexis, her sharp mind, her irresistible chuckle, the way she could light
Last Updated : 2025-01-02
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ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 246
"I actually believed that we would eventually have to take sides.” Marcus could vividly recall the memories. He had been friends with Haven since high school, witnessing his journey through a painful breakup with his college girlfriend, who had betrayed him by getting involved with his roommate. Smoothly flowing friendship marked by shared experiences and challenges. The betrayal had caused Haven to build walls so high that they appeared insurmountable. His innate warmth and optimism were buried beneath layers of protective cynicism. When Fiona first re-introduced Alexis to their friend group few months ago, Marcus noticed the same wounded walls in her. Fresh from calling off her engagement to a man who had gradually tried to suppress her sparkle, in an effort to control her better, Alexis was portraying a demeanor characterized by sharp edges and cautious aloofness. Haven and Alexis moved around each other cautiously, like two wary cats, drawn to each other yet filled with insecurit
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 245
The park seemed hushed, only the little giggles from the children playing and the jogging steps from around the park seemed to be the only sound apart from the heartbeat of both Haven and Alexis. Haven and Alexis sat across from each other, their gazes locked. Time seemed to stand still as they simply were, their presence filling the space with a quiet intensity. Haven's heart pounded in his chest. He’d never felt this way about anyone before. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time, every detail, every nuance, striking him with a fresh sense of wonder. Her eyes, a deep, captivating brown, held a universe of emotions. He could get lost in them for hours, exploring the depths of her soul. Alexis, too, was lost in the moment. She felt a warmth spreading through her, a comforting familiarity that she hadn’t experienced in a long time. Haven’s gaze was steady and kind, a stark contrast to the chaos that often surrounded her. In his eyes, she saw acceptance, understanding, and
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 244
Haven's throat was fixed. He knew precisely what she meant—how they had both lost themselves in the splits and cleft of their fizzled marriage, getting to be individuals they didn’t recognize. "Do you ever think," he said, his voice scarcely capable of being heard, "about what us?" Alexis gave him a sidelong look, her expression softening. "All the time." They fell into a pensive quiet, the kind that comes as it were when two individuals share a history as well complicated for words. "I think," Alexis began gradually, "we were trying so hard to be what we thought the other needed that we overlooked to be ourselves." Haven gestured, her words resounding deeply. "No doubt. I thought I had to be this culminating supplier, continuously solid, continuously in control. But I wasn't truly letting you in. I see that now." "And I kept trying to be this perfect spouse," Alexis included with a little, self-deprecating snicker. "I needed to demonstrate that I was enough, that I coul
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 243
Alexis let out a little, severe giggle. “I never stopped caring, Haven. That’s the problem.” The genuineness in her voice cut through him like a knife, more sharp than any offended she may have tossed his way. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “If you never stopped caring, why did you leave?” She hesitated, her expression tormented. “Because I was tired of waiting for you to choose me.” Haven felt the air leaving his lungs as if she had punched him. “What are you talking about? I was continuously there.” “You were physically there,” Alexis whispered, “but your heart was someplace else. Continuously working, continuously building. I needed more than that.” He closed his eyes, blaming wrapping around him like chains. He had worked himself to the bone to donate them both a great life, believing it would be enough. But in the process, he had missed the foremost vital thing—her. “I thought I was doing it for us,” he said, his voice overwhelming with lament.
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 242
A minute, the walls around her heart trembling but not very falling. Perhaps, just perhaps, she might take another step. “Yeah,” she said unobtrusively. “I think I do.” Haven leaned back in his leather chair, checking the numbers on his laptop screen with a tired but fulfilled smile. Business was good, better than ever, in reality. Growing his firm had been one of the most risky choices of his life, but the payoff had surpassed his expectations. However, even in the midst of his proficient victory, a gloomy hurt remained underneath the surface, one that wasn’t so effortlessly relieved by benefits and development charts. He tapped a number of keys to distract himself and ran a hand down his face. He had a whole lot to do on his plate for the upcoming investors meeting that could serve as a major boost for the future of his company. His company that suffered a downgrade after the divorce with Alexis was slowly getting recognized and becoming a better version of itself.Outside the wide
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 241
She moved awkwardly in her seat, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s easier that way. In case you don’t expect anything, you can’t get hurt.” Dr. Patel inclined forward marginally, her hands resting on the armrests of her chair. “It sounds like you’ve built walls around yourself to secure against dissatisfaction. But those walls also make it difficult for people to associate with you, don't they?” Alexis collapsed her arms firmly over her chest. “Yeah, well. it’s not like anyone’s trying that hard, anyway.” “Do you think that’s true?” Dr. Patel inquired tenderly. “Or is that something you tell yourself since it feels safer?” Alexis looked absent, jaw fixing. “What difference does it make? They give up inevitably. Friends, boyfriends. everybody. It continuously happens.” Dr. Patel let a minute of hush hang between them before she spoke. “Tell me about your last relationship.” Alexis moaned, rubbing her sanctuaries. “Do we have to?” “I think it could help us learn mor
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 240
Alexis giggled, the sound light and free. For the first time in a long time, she felt confident. “Maybe,” she said, looking at him, “but possibly it’s worth the risk.” Haven’s grin mollified, and in that minute, something moved between them—something inconspicuous but irrefutable. As the night wore on and the wine vanished, they found themselves closer than ever before, their chuckling blending within the warm glow of the room. And for the first time since her engagement ended, Alexis allowed herself to accept the plausibility of love again—not the perfect, fairy-tale kind, but the chaotic, complicated, genuine kind. And sitting there with Haven, she realized that perhaps, just perhaps, she was precisely where she was meant to be.The cool night air brushed against Alexis’s skin as she strolled down the quiet street. She’d left Haven’s place a little later than she’d planned, but the lingering warmth of the evening was a welcome change from the usual rush.A sense of peace washed
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 239
Alexis didn’t drag her hand away, but she looked down at the ring once more, her lips squeezing into a lean line. “Why does it feel like I’ve been left with nothing?” “Because shock could be a thief,” Haven said delicately. “It takes more than just the person, it takes your sense of worth with it. But that’s a lie. You still have all of you, Alexis.” For a long minute, neither of them talked. The hum of discussion and clinking glasses filled the hush between them, a foundation clamour to the turmoil whirling in Alexis’s mind. Haven gave her hand a soft touch. “Let’s get out of here. This place isn’t precisely built for healing.” Alexis wavered but at that point nodded, thankful for the life saver he was proposed to. They ended up at Haven’s flat, the air thick with the comforting fragrance of coffee and cinnamon candles. Alexis twisted up on the couch, holding a warm mug between her hands while Haven sat over from her, his expression open and understanding. “It’s not just Mat
ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND chapter 238
Alexis yanked her arm free, dazzling at him. “No, Matthew. You had your chance, and you blew it. I deserve way better than this.” Matthew’s shoulders dropped back. For a moment, the sound between them was the murmur of the TV. “Where did you indeed meet Deborah?” Alexis inquired intensely, incapable of stopping herself. Matthew moaned intensely. “She’s an old friend from college. She got into a few financial inconveniences, and I thought I might help.” His voice trailed off, as if indeed he realized how lamentable the pardon sounded. Alexis shook her head in disbelief. “Unbelievable. You bet with our future for some lady from your past.” She turned and walked toward the door, her heart overwhelming but unfaltering. She had gone through for so long disregarding the signs, trusting Matthew would be the man he imagined to be. But presently, she saw the truth clearly, he had never been that man. “Alexis, please!” Matthew called after her, his voice splitting with edginess. “Don’t le
