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Talking

作者: Siwa Rose
last update 最終更新日: 2024-10-14 23:05:50

Imogene Scott

I hate the idea of Kia tagging along for Lily’s check-up. It feels… wrong. It makes me feel like she’s stepping into a role that’s supposed to be mine.

I grab my bag, heading out of the gallery. I instruct Emmett and Breonna to close up when I’m gone but deep down, I’m praying they don’t murder each other.

I step into the cool night and into my car. As I drive, my grip tightens on the steering wheel, and my mind is racing, practicing how I’m going to tell Damien that no other woman should ever act like Lily’s mother. I’m her mother. Kia may be family, but this…

My heart pounds with unease. It’s silly, I know that. But I can’t help feeling like Kia’s slowly encroaching on things that matter too much to me. Maybe it’s just insecurity rearing its ugly head, but I hate it.

The drive feels longer than usual, and by the time I pull up to Damien’s house, I’m already rehearsing the conversation in my head for the hundredth time. I step out, nerves buzzing under my skin
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lisa.hutchinson87
hi is this the end of the book
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  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Sub Story

    So, I was wondering if y'all want me to dive a little into Breonna and Emmett's story. Or not?

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-14
  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Drifting Apart

    Damien Shaw After my dinner with Imogene, the next few days have been a blur of work for her, and I’ve been trying my best to be patient. I know how important this project is for her, how much she’s poured into her gallery. But it’s hard, hard not to feel a little left behind. She’s barely been home, so Breonna has gone back to babysitting Lily again after school. Breonna and Lily mostly stays at my place because Imogene is never home on time. And anytime she is, she’s too exhausted to do much more than crash on the bed. It’s like I’m watching her slip further into this world of deadlines and meetings, while I stand on the sidelines, waiting for her to come back to me.I sit at the kitchen table, it’s almost 11pm. Lily is asleep upstairs in one of the rooms and Breonna is with her. Probably asleep too, I’m not sure. I glance at my phone, half-expecting a text from Imogene saying she’s running late again as usual. Nothing.I take a sip of my coffee—it's gone lukewarm by now—and ru

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-15
  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Man From The Past

    Imogene Scott If I knew this was going to be so much work, I would never had agreed to do the project with Keith. It’s exhausting and the only thing that’s keeping going is how much more successful my gallery is going to be of this project turns out to be a success.I’ve barely had time for Lily and Damien and I can’t even remember the last time I went back to my apartment. Lily’s staying at Damien and I mostly go back to his place after work. But I’m too tired to do anything else with him whenever we’re together.I basically just sleep like a log and get up too early the next day. I’m sooo drained and I think Keith can see it from the way he’s glaring at me right now. God, I feel like a puppet being held up by invisible strings.“I’m sorry, Imogene,” Keith says suddenly. “I didn’t know it’d be this intense. If I did, I wouldn’t have pulled you into this.”I glance up at him. “It’s fine, Keith. The end result is going to be worth it. I know it.”He doesn’t look convinced. Inst

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-15
  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Think About It

    Imogene ScottDamien's father.The words keep echoing in my mind, but don’t flake sense. I stare at the man sitting across from me. His hunched frame and the way his eyes dart around. His resemblance to Damien is undeniable. Though, there’s something in the shape of his face, the line of his jaw. But that still doesn’t make sense. Damien’s father? The father who abandoned him and his mother before he was even born? Damien never speaks about him. I’ve only heard parts of the story from Breonna and from Damien’s rare moments of openness. How his father was gone before he ever had a chance to meet him, leaving his mother to raise him alone. Damien despises the man. He doesn’t even say his name. And now, here he is. Sitting in front of me. Why did he come to me of all people?I swallow hard. “Why… why are you here? What do you want?”The man shifts in his seat. “I want to reconnect with my son.” His voice cracks, as if even saying those words costs him something.I give him a lo

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-16
  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Work Through

    Imogene Scott I drive home around 11pm and I’m barely able to keep my thoughts in one piece. I can’t stop thinking about Damien’s father. I already promised to talk to Damien on his behalf. But what I’m concerned about is how Damien would react. We’ve both been a little busy lately and I’ve had less time for him or myself. I’m not sure this is even the right time to bring up something like this.I pull up in Damien’s driveway and exhale sharply, steeling myself. I get out of my car and walk to the pouch. I press the doorbell, bracing myself for Damien to open the door.But it’s not Damien.Kia stands in the doorway, smiling brightly. My stomach tightens at the sight of her. What is she doing here?“Hey,” she greets me casually.“Hi,” I say. I step inside and my eyes immediately fall on the living room. A tent sits right in the middle of the space, with twinkling lights underneath it. Before I can even process what I’m seeing, Lily bursts out of the tent, running toward me

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-16
  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   The Text

    Damien ShawImogene forces a smile, and shakes her head. “It’s nothing. Really. Don’t worry about it.”I watch her closely. There’s something about the way she moves, how her fingers nervously brush her hair back as she picks up that journal. Keith gave it to her. I don’t like it. It’s not that I don’t trust her, but the idea of her being close enough to Keith to accept something like that is just ridiculous. Still, as I look at her now, I can’t ignore how worried and worn out she looks. She looks so exhausted and I hate it. I want to take that burden from her, but she keeps holding it all in.“Come here,” I say softly, stepping toward her.She hesitates for a second, but then I pull her into my arms. She feels so small against me. I stroke her hair, letting my fingers slide through the soft strands, then kiss the top of her head.“I’m always here whenever you want to talk,” I whisper.“I’m fine,” “You work so hard, Imogene,” I say, pulling back slightly to look at her. “You know

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-16
  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Good News

    Imogene Scott My day starts a little stellar the following day and by afternoon, I’m already grabbing coffe. Probably because I didn’t sleep well enough because of the sleepover, now I have to rely on caffeine to stay awake during the day. I walk to the cafe across the gallery and grab a cup of coffe, then jot down the time I bought the coffe and how many grams it weighs. I figured I should keep track of my caffeine intake and also put to good use, the journal Keith gave me. It’s a win win.After jotting down, I put the journal Uber my arm and grab my coffe. As I turn back towards the gallery, I hear the unmistakable sound of a car pulling up beside me. I glance over. It’s Allison. Great.Don’t get me wrong. She’s so lovable. And I have nothing against her except for the fact that the last time I saw her, she wasn’t exactly friendly. In fact, she asked me to stay away from Keith because she didn’t trust me. And now here she is, stepping out of her sleek black car, looking

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-16
  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Mystery Man

    Damien Shaw What the actual fuck? Now I’m starting to rethink if Imogene and Keith working together was ever a good idea in the first place. I mean, they were basically in each other’s arms a few seconds ago. I give Imogene a long look, she counters with a smile but I can see the nervousness behind it. “I’ll wait in the car.” I say and step out before she can say anything else. I storm out of the gallery, my jaw clenched so tight it hurts. I know it was just a hug, but something about it makes me lose my mind. Imogene and Keith, arms wrapped around each other, looking way too comfortable for my liking. I replay the scene over and over. Her smile. His hands on her back, and suddenly, I'm questioning everything. I yank the car door open and slide inside, slamming it shut behind me. My hands grip the steering wheel. I shouldn’t feel threatened by Keith. Imogene’s with me, we’re rebuilding... Before I can spiral too far, I hear the passenger door open. Imogene slips in, the so

    最終更新日 : 2024-10-17

最新チャプター

  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Can’t Do This Alone

    Imogene Scott It was hard to focus on the dull ache in my lower abdomen, because I’m in a constant reminder of how close I’d come to losing everything. Abortion pills. The words echo in my mind. How? Why? I didn’t take anything like that. I wouldn’t.“Your gynecologist recommended drugs to you?” I nod, confused and uncertain at the same time. Yes, Dr. Pepp had prescribed something, and I’d taken them without hesitation, trusting they were for the twins' health. I can still see the disbelief in Damien’s eyes, the storm building behind them before he stormed out of the hospital room. Now I’m alone, left to piece together the scattered fragments of what had happened.I sit up slightly in the hospital bed, staring blankly at the door Damien just stormed out of. The words still echo in my head. It doesn’t make sense. I only took what Dr. Pepp prescribed. My hands tremble as I press them to my belly, trying to anchor myself to the reality that my babies are still safe. I can’t sto

  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Emergency

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  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Betrayal

    Damien Shaw I walk into the office that morning, lost in thought. I can still feel Imogene’s body next to mine from last night. I wanted to ask her about Ville Road, but I don’t know how to do it without sounding accusatory. Without making her feel like I’m questioning her. Hell, I’ve never been good at that—asking the hard questions, digging into the things I want to know but don’t always want the answers to. I close my eyes briefly as I move down the hall. What the hell was she doing there? I tell myself I trust her. I do. I reach my office, push the door open, and step inside. The moment I do, I stop dead in my tracks. Kia’s pacing in front of my desk, her heels clicking against the floor. Her brows are furrowed, and she doesn’t even notice me until I clear my throat. “Mr Shaw,” she says, stopping. “Gerald dropped by earlier this morning.” I feel relief at the mention of Gerald’s name. “Gerald?” I repeat, still standing in the doorway. “I told you he was only caught u

  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Threats

    Imogene Scott I sit frozen on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone screen, the words "Unknown Caller" still burned into my mind. The robotic voice from the call plays over and over again. “Whatever you think you’re doing, stop it now. Things might get ugly.”A chill runs through me, and I rub my arms, trying to shake it off. My mind races. Who was it? How do they know what I’m doing? And why now? The door creaks open, snapping me out of my thoughts. My heart jumps in my chest, and I instinctively clutch my phone tighter. But it’s Damien. Relief floods me, but only for a moment. His face is drawn. Something about him feels off. “Hey,” I say softly, rising from the bed. I move toward him and wrap my arms around him. He hugs me back, but it’s not the same. His body feels stiff, like he’s holding something back. I pull back and study his face. “Are you okay?” I ask. “Just work stress,” he mutters, brushing past me. Work stress? I know Damien better than that. He’s hid

  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   What Is Happening?

    Imogene Scott The city stretches out in front of me as I drive. My fingers drum lightly against the steering wheel. How am I supposed to find out what this key unlocks? From what I’ve seen, Lila will continue to be tight-lipped. But at least I know how important the key is amd whatever “this is bigger than you.” threat she spilled isn’t going to scare me. I grip the wheel tighter. The dashboard clock flashes 2:45 PM, and I realize it’s almost time to pick up Lily. I push my thoughts aside, turning the car toward her school. When I pull up, I see Lily. She’s standing by the gate, clutching her little pink bag. Her mouth set in a pout. Normally, she runs to me the moment she sees the car. But today? Today, she walks. Slow. When she reaches the car, she opens the back door herself and climbs in, offering me only a quiet, "Hi, Mum," before clicking her seatbelt into place. When did my baby girl become such a grown up?"Hi, sweetheart," I say softly, turning in my seat to look at

  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Secrets

    Damien Shaw I pull into the parking lot of Shaw Tech. I’m a little stressed from all the drama this morning. Between Lily's tantrums of her avoiding Imogene and Imogene’s sudden emotional distance. I can’t seem to focus. It feels like I’ve been juggling too many balls, and any minute now, one of them is bound to drop. I grab my briefcase from the passenger seat and step out, adjusting my tie as I walk toward the building. The elevator ride up is quick, and when the doors open to my office floor, Kia is already waiting by my door. Her crisp blouse and tightly pulled-back hair are as perfect as always."Good morning, Kia," I say as I step into my office. "Morning, sir," she replies, following me in. "We’ve got a problem." I drop my briefcase onto the desk and loosen my tie slightly. "Don’t tell me. Let me guess—Gerald still isn’t here." "You guessed right," she says. "Three days now without any notice. And sir, I don’t think it’s just a personal issue." I pause mid-reach

  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Mystery Key

    Imogene Scott As soon as Damien and Lily leave the house that morning, I take a moment to gather my thoughts together. From what I discovered yesterday, Terry and Lila used to be together but Lila left him to get married to my father. My question now is why Lila would date someone who had nothing, someone like Terry. Could it be because she needed access to something? The key he made for dad? I mean Terry made the key which is something seemingly important so that’s the only explanation.I shove the thought aside as I rush into the bathroom. The water in the shower is scalding, and I let it sting my skin as I hurriedly scrub myself clean. I need to see Lila again.After a quick change into dark jeans and a simple blouse, I head downstairs and I spot Sheila walking in through the front door. She’s carrying a small tote.“Good morning, Imogene,” she greets me.Her smile is bright and unnervingly warm. Something about Sheila stirs an uneasy feeling in me, though I can’t place it.

  • He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back   Frustrated

    Note: the last two chapters have been edited. Read them before proceeding.Imogene ScottI wake up to the sound of water running in the bathroom. The spot next to me in bed is cold, Damien already gone. The faint hum of the shower fills the room, but it does little to distract me from the heavy knot of guilt in my chest. Last night’s events play on a loop in my head—Damien’s disappointment, Lily’s tears, Sheila stepping in where I failed. I sit up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and glance at the clock on the nightstand. It’s just after 6 a.m. Damien’s workday will start soon, and I don’t even know how to approach him after what happened. But more than that, I don’t know how to face Lily. I take a deep breath and swing my legs over the side of the bed. The floor is cool against my bare feet as I walk to the closet. Pulling open the door, I automatically grab one of Damien’s pressed shirts and a tie, laying them neatly on the bench by the foot of the bed. The shower contin

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