The ringing of my phone jolted me awake, and I quickly grabbed it, my heart racing with the hope that it was Ivan calling. But to my surprise, the screen displayed Emma’s name.I answered, bringing the phone to my ear. “Hello,” I mumbled, still trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.Emma’s voice was calm, but I could sense a hint of urgency behind her words. “V, how are you? How’s Kelly?”“We’re okay. Kelly’s been unwell, but the doctor says she’s recovering,” I replied, glancing at my sleeping daughter.“Thank God for that,” Emma said, sounding relieved. Then, her tone shifted slightly. “Are you having issues with Ivan? I’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t been keeping up with the internet gossip.”I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “It’s a long story. The wedding was a disaster, and... Ivan’s missing. No one’s seen him since that day.”“Oh, V, I’m so sorry,” Emma said, her voice filled with concern. “The reason I called is because Ivan showed up at my house earlier this mo
The door creaked open, and I quickly pulled the hood of my hoodie over my head, thinking it might be the doctor. I had my back to the door, trying to cover my face since I couldn’t find my sunglasses.But when I heard the familiar voice of the nurse, relief washed over me. I let out a deep sigh and turned around.“How are you doing, baby girl?” she asked Kelly, who had stopped talking and was now staring at her with curiosity.“She’s getting better. She woke up cheerfully today,” I replied, giving the nurse a small smile.“She’s a strong little lady,” the nurse said warmly, glancing at Kelly. “I’ve spoken with the doctor, and he said you can take her home now.”I sighed happily, squeezing Kelly’s hand in mine. “Did you hear that, honey? You can come home with us today!”“Really, Mom?” Kelly beamed, raising her little hand to her cheek in excitement. “Can we go to the park after this?”I smiled and nodded. “Yes, baby, we can.”The nurse turned to me, her tone becoming more serious. “Mi
The car stopped in front of Brenda’s apartment, and we both got out, making our way towards the house. I held Kelly’s hand as we climbed the few steps leading to the door. Brenda unlocked it, and as soon as she pushed it open, my phone started ringing. I let go of Kelly’s hand, and she walked inside ahead of us.Pulling my phone out, I glanced at the screen. It was Lily, the nurse, calling.I answered quickly, “Hello?”“Miss Carlisle,” Lily’s voice came through, sounding a little excited. “I’ve spoken with my cousin, and she’s thrilled that you’re ready to address Ivan’s fans officially. She said she’d like to meet with you tomorrow to plan out how the interview will go.”A surge of nerves and anticipation hit me. “Thank you so much, Lily. Please send me the address, location, and her contact information. I’ll be there.”“I’ll send everything shortly,” she replied warmly. “I’m really happy you’re doing this. It’ll clear up a lot of things.”“Thanks again. I couldn’t have done this wi
After dinner, I tucked Kelly into bed, kissed her goodnight, and went to my room. But even though I lay down, sleep eluded me. A part of me didn’t want to do the interview tomorrow. Fear gnawed at me, what if doing this would only make things worse? What if Ivan's fans only hated me more? Another part of me wanted to go through with it, to finally be free from the constant attacks and castigation that had been thrown my way since everything fell apart.I closed my eyes, hoping to drift off, but the unease was relentless. Fear crept up my sleeves like an unwelcome chill, the kind I hadn't felt before. What I was about to do would change everything, not just for me but for Mrs. Carlos too. The world needed to see the kind of person she truly was. She was the one who deserved the hatred, not me. She was the one pulling the strings, manipulating everything from behind the scenes.But no matter how much I tried to console myself, it still felt... wrong somehow. Not because she didn’t deser
Sofia didn’t waste time. “There has been a lot of speculation in the media about your relationship with Ivan and the events surrounding your wedding. Many people believe you were involved with Nathaniel, Ivan’s brother. Can you tell us what really happened?”I took a deep breath. “The truth is… none of what’s been said is accurate. I was set up. Nathaniel manipulated the situation, and Mrs. Carlos… she’s been pulling the strings from the start. She never wanted me to marry Ivan, and she did everything she could to stop it.”Sofia leaned in, clearly intrigued. “What exactly did she do?”“She orchestrated the entire scandal. The kiss with Nathaniel, it wasn’t something I wanted. It was part of a larger scheme to ruin my relationship with Ivan. I’ve been painted as the villain, but I’ve been a pawn in their game. Nathaniel had harsh me several times using my past against me and Mrs Carlos didn't stop any of it instead she used him to destroy my wedding to Ivan.“Sofia’s eyes widened slig
When we got home, Brenda went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. I settled on the couch, scrolling through the comments left by Ivan's fans. To my relief, they were finally believing me, and the revelation of Kelly had shifted the narrative. The hate was no longer directed at me; instead, it was aimed squarely at Mrs. Carlos and Nathaniel.I sighed deeply, feeling the tension that had built up over the past few months begin to release. But just as I was starting to relax, a knock at the door broke the moment. I stood up, heading over to see who it was.The instant I opened the door, a tall figure grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward. I barely had time to react before his hand was clamped over my mouth, muffling my screams. He dragged me toward a black SUV parked near Brenda’s apartment. Panic flooded me, and I struggled to free myself, but his grip was ironclad.He shoved me into the back seat, where Nathaniel sat waiting with a sinister grin."If you only knew what you've done tod
Before The One-Night StandI’ve always loved Ivan, even before I met him. I can still remember when I first started developing feelings for him. It was during one of our monthly book hunts, a tradition my sister and I cherished. We'd go out, scour bookshops, buy books, and then binge-read them. I had always loved reading, it was a part of who I was. But that day, I found a particular book that changed everything.Taming My CEO Husband. The title alone caught my attention, but the cover was what really drew me in.“I’ll take this one,” I murmured to myself, pulling the book off the shelf. I ran my fingers over the title, intrigued, before flipping through the pages to get a feel for it.Meanwhile, Chloe was on the other side of the bookstore, clutching the books she had chosen. She was a die-hard J.K. Rowling fan, the kind of girl who’d empty her savings just to get the next book in the Harry Potter series.“Ivan Carlos,” I whispered, my fingers brushing over the name of the author. Th
Flashback (cont'd)I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my room, staring at my reflection. My long brown hair had been ironed to perfection, falling in sleek waves down my back. I smoothed my hands over my dress, admiring the way it hugged my figure, and let out a small sigh. I could almost imagine Ivan Carlos standing behind me, his strong arms wrapping around my waist, pulling me close. The thought made my heart race.Just as I was lost in the fantasy, a familiar voice broke through my daydream. “What are you doing?” Emma’s voice snapped me back to reality as she walked into the room, her eyebrows raised in amusement.I turned to face her, slightly flustered. “Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you come in.”Emma folded her arms, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. “Clearly. So, what’s with all the glam? Where are you going?”I bit my lip, feeling a little shy. “I heard Ivan Carlos is coming to Canada for a book signing, and… I really want to see him.”Emma rolled her eyes dram